Published: Sep 12, 2015, 06:29 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 12, 2015, 06:29 AM (IST)
Sachin Tendulkar‘s desert storm knocks are well known to one and all and the above video is from the same series. In the sixth match of the Coca Cola Cup in 1998, on April 22. He hit a magnificent 143 as India were chasing a tough target of 285 runs from Australia. For Australia it was Michael Bevan’s hundred that revived them after they were struggling for 87 for three at one point of time. Australia posted 284 for the loss of seven wickets. Venkatesh Prasad was the best bowler for India taking two for 41 in his eight overs of bowling. In reply, opening the innings were Sourav Ganguly and Tendulkar and the latter showed his intentions when he danced down the wicket to slam Michael Kasprowicz over long on for a maximum. Read: The first of the two Sachin Tendulkar desert storms
Tendulkar hit as many as nine boundaries in his stroke filled 131-ball 143 along with hitting five sixes. He got good support from Nayan Mongia who was India’s highest scorer after him but had to do most of the scoring as India kept losing wickets at regular intervals, something that was normal for India then. Sand storm had reduced it to a 46-over game with the target now 276 runs. India though fell short of the target by 26 runs finishing with 250 for five in the designated 46 overs. India needed to actually score 254 runs to beat New Zealand to qualify for the final but the sand storm changed equations and India then needed to score 237 runs which they did and qualified. Sachin then scored a brilliant 134 in the final and which is why the two tons are often referred to as the desert storms. Read: Sachin Tendulkar belted us all over the park at Sharjah: Adam Gilchrist
