Sachin Tendulkar once again got the better of Australia in the 1998 tri-series competition in Sharjah as they qualified for the final and sealed the title.
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The year 1998 is considered a year when Sachin Tendulkar sealed his reputation as one of the greatest in the world. His exploits with the bat in that year was phenomenal and unequalled since. Nine centuries are the most in ODIs in a calendar year. His big-hitting and ability to carry the team over the line was brilliant. With the bat, he reached a different zenith. With the ball, he would spin a web. The crescendo of his genius was seen on April 22 against Australia.
The Australian cricket team were the dominant side in world cricket at that time. In 1998, Tendulkar had not scored an ODI century for 33 innings. In the final league game against Australia, India had a mountain to climb. Mohammad Azharuddin’s team had a poor net run-rate as compared to New Zealand. They needed to lose by a small margin in order to qualify for the final against Australia.
The Aussies made a great start with Michael Bevan scoring a brilliant 101. Mark Waugh chipped in with 81. Tendulkar took the wicket of Mark Waugh while he had run-out Steve Waugh. Australia made 284/7 and the chase was on.
Sourav Ganguly went cheaply for 17 but Tendulkar was in the zone. He blasted two sixes off Michael Kasprowicz. Australia was put off by the ploy of Nayan Mongia coming in at No.3 as a pinch-hitter. Tendulkar and Mongia shared a 69-run stand to put India on course.
Tendulkar was batting brilliantly. But India lost Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja cheaply. To make matters worse, a sandstorm stopped play for a brief time. It was at that point that Tendulkar went for the win.
Chasing a revised target of 276 runs from 46 overs, India needed 242 runs to qualify for the final. Tendulkar decided to go for the win and unleash a ferocious desert storm on Australia. The right-hander took the attack to the Aussies and smashed boundaries at will. Tendulkar reached a century and decided to pummel Fleming over the ropes at deep midwicket.
Tendulkar benefited from a dropped catch and his partnership with VVS Laxman yielded 112 runs. Laxman contributed just 23 runs. It was the display of Tendulkar that blew fans away. Tony Grieg’s commentary, in which he said ‘Whadaaplayaa’ summed up the mood. Tendulkar fell for 143 and India had qualified for the final.
Two days later, Tendulkar once again became Australia’s nightmare. His one shot off Shane Warne, in which he danced down the track to a flighted ball on leg stump and launched him over long on for a big six, gave him nightmares. Tendulkar hit 134 and gave India the title.
After his exploits in Sharjah, 1998 would be a golden year for him. He would hit 1894 runs with nine tons at an average of 65 and a strike rate of 102. Desert Storm is generally known as USA’s strikes on Iraq in Gulf War 1. In 1998, cricket and India would forever associate Desert Storm with how Tendulkar got the better of Australia.
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