Sachin Alla Re!!!

This was the first time I watched a young batsmen representing India. I was still six and a half years old.The official one-dayer had been abandoned because of bad light and a 20-over exhibition match organised instead.probably the first unofficial 20-20 match. Pakistan put on 157 and India only got close thanks to an 18-ball 53 from a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar. One over from Abdul Qadir read: 6, 0, 4, 6 6 6. It announced Tendulkar to the world.


Abdul Qadir

The game was being played in the festive spirit. I had just bowled a maiden to Krishnamachari Srikkanth and I went to Sachin, who was the non-striker, and told him that when I bowled him the next over he shouldn't treat me as Abdul Qadir, but just as any other bowler from his galli or school, and go for his shots, as that would be good for his future. He was just a young boy then and I wanted to give him confidence.

He just smiled at me and didn't say anything. Next over when I came on to bowl to him, he stepped out to hit the first ball for six over long-off. He was dropped at midwicket later in that over as he tried for another big one, but he managed three more sixes. It wasn't like I was just feeding him: I was trying my best to get him out, but he was just so talented that he gave me no chance.

Sachin Tendulkar
When I came in to bat we needed 69 runs in five overs or so. I had a go at Mushtaq Ahmed who had taken two wickets and hit him for a couple of sixes. Qadir then came up to me said, "Bachchon ko kyon mar rahe ho? Hamein bhi maar dikhao" ("Why are you only hitting the kid? Hit me too.") Qadir was a great bowler and I was only playing my first series. I didn't say anything, but it fired me up. I took up the challenge and gave it a go. Ultimately we fell short only by four runs.