Tags:
Journalism of Courage
It might be sacrilege to suggest that having been dropped twice, Sachin Tendulkar’s 300th innings at international limited-overs level was not meant to result in what would have been his thirty-fifth century. Yet he came so close that when he departed there was a groan from the majority of those gathered to see the greatest spectacle of World Cup 2003.
The argument during his innings of 98 was that the Mumbai magician had displayed all the technical skill that forced the Pakistan attack to bowl both sides of the wicket. A bit fanciful perhaps. The Pakistan bowlers have themselves to blame for their demise and eventual destruction and not Tendulkar’s ability.
After all, if they are not going to find the right length and then start to pitch it too full and throw in a success of half volleys as well (Shoaib Akhtar speared in a few) it was only natural that the Pakistan bowlers were going to travel.
When Tendulkar did go, besieged by cramps, he was battling to focus his thoughts on the game plan. With 12 000 LOI runs next to his name. What came afterwards was all the cultured class and classic style of Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh. After Tendulkar’s assault (98 off 75 balls is a fair pace even for the Mumbai Magician) there was a need to restructure the innings.
Their character and class was the turning point as Pakistan’s bowlers and Waqar Younis seemed to be bereft of ideas. As Dravid hit the winning runs, the sun started to set and as it did, so did Pakistan’s World Cup 2003 dreams.
Pakistan’s innings of 273 was one of those efforts which was fractured between the solid style of Saeed Anwar and the indecision of the middle-order of which so much had been expected.
