“Was ready to hug Gilchrist…”: Sachin Tendulkar reveals funny anecdote about his ‘Desert Storm’ innings in Sharjah

Sachin talked about the storm during the innings in which he played a knock of 143 off 131 balls

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar revealed a funny anecdote about his iconic ‘Desert Storm’ innings against Australia in 1998 at Sharjah.
At an event organized in Mumbai for the celebration of the 25th anniversary of his iconic “Desert Storm” innings in Sharjah in 1998 against Australia, Sachin talked about the storm during the innings in which he played a knock of 143 off 131 balls.

“Talking about Sharjah innings, I would tell you a funny anecdote, I had never experienced a sandstorm in my life, this was the first time I was experiencing anything like that, I was afraid that I do not get blown away by the storm. Adam Gilchrist was standing close to me, I was ready to hug him, so that there would be extra weight to take me away,” Sachin said.
Sachin started opening for India in 1994 in ODIs. In 98 matches before opening, Sachin scored 3,781 runs in 111 innings across all formats at an average of 38.97. He scored seven centuries and 23 half-centuries before he started opening with the best score of 165.
But after he took the opening slot on March 27, 1994, the Master Blaster made posting huge scores a habit and went on to become the highest run-scorer in international cricket with a total of 34,357 runs in 664 matches with 100 centuries and 164 centuries.

Sachin said that Sharjah’s innings changed his mindset towards his game.
“Overall I felt that outing gave a new dimension to my cricketing career, I started opening in 1994 and before that my thought process was to play out the first few overs and build partnerships and finish strong but I had a different strategy and I shared same to the management and said that give me one chance to open the batting if I fail, I will not come back,” he said.
The match was played as a part of the Coca-Cola Cup, a triangular series between India, Australia, and New Zealand. Before this match, India had won just one out of their three games, and New Zealand had won only one out of their four games and looked pretty much out of the tournament, clinging on to net run rate as their last hope. Australia had earned a place in the finals after winning all of their three matches.

The match was extremely important for India.
Electing to bat first, Australians put up 284 for 7 in their 50 overs.
Chasing 285, India lost Saurav Ganguly for 17 at the score of 38 in the ninth over of the game. Sachin Tendulkar and wicket-keeper batter Nayan Mongia stabilised the innings before Mongia fell for 35 in the 22nd over of the game when the score was 107. Tendulkar looked in good touch, going after everyone in Australia’s bowling attack one by one. A sandstorm disrupted India’s efforts for around 25 minutes, with the target being revised to 276 in 46 overs.

But if the sandstorm had disrupted the game, Sachin had unleashed a storm of his own that threatened to sweep away Australia’s chances at the match. No one was spared. Michael Kasprowicz was hit for sixes that still live in the minds of millions, 24 years later. The match also marked one of the many face-offs the Master had with late legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne, with the batter getting better of Warne on this particular day.
Tendulkar looked unstoppable, with India 242/4 in 42.5 overs, with just 34 required in 19 deliveries and a victory was in sight for India. A miracle followed as pacer Damien Fleming got Tendulkar at the final ball of the over, taking the scoreline to 242/5 in 43. with India needing 34 in 18 balls. Tendulkar went back to the pavilion scoring a 131-ball 143, with 9 fours and 5 sixes.
But the rest of the Indian batters, Ajay Jadeja (1), VVS Laxman (23*), Hrishikesh Kanitkar (5*) could not carry the momentum Tendulkar had given to his side, accumulating only 8 off the next three overs, finishing at 250/5 in 46 overs, which meant a 26-run loss.
The final took place on 24th April, Tendulkar’s 25th birthday. The match saw Australia making 272/9 in their 50 overs. Another Tendulkar Special followed on his birthday, as his 134 off 131 deliveries helped India chase down the target in 48.3 overs and get their hands on the Coca-Cola Cup.
This ‘storm’ of April 22, 1998 was immortalised as the ‘Desert Storm’ to millions who turned on their television sets to watch one of the world’s best batters bat at peak of his power.
Millions of television sets would switch on when Tendulkar walked out to bat and switched off when he was dismissed before taking India to the victory. The prodigious batter carried hopes of billions on his baggage, earning the ultimate record for his efforts in 2011, when India lifted the 50-over Cricket World Cup after 28 overs, beating Sri Lanka in the finals. (ANI)

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