Sachin falls short of his own genius

When he edged to Kamran Akmal off Umar Gul at the PCA Stadium today, the 35-year-old became the batsman with the most number of dismissals on 99.

It has happened to him thrice now, and all of them in the current season — he was run out in Belfast against South Africa, then in Bristol during the second ODI against England, and also the fifth occasion when he was dismissed in the 90s spanning the same period.

Perhaps, after the defeat, it would be a matter of mere statistic that Tendulkar remains on 41 centuries.

But Tendulkar showed his class and maturity on Thursday, waiting for the Pakistan speedsters to tire, before carting them to different directions, including the fence.

Tendulkar, who hogged most of the strike during his partnership with Gautam Gambhir (57), placed his first boundary towards mid-wicket off Akhtar on his 18th delivery, and got to his fifty with a similar shot off Rao Iftikhar. And within the span of 57 balls in reaching his 86th half-century — and 13th against Pakistan — he did it seven more times.

Then he accelerated, from the tenth over, with three consecutive boundaries off Gul’s fifth over, and became more daring after his fifty, including that six off Shahid Afridi over extra-cover using the turn of the leg-break delivery. A little paddle-shot off to get his first runs from the four free-hit deliveries he’s faced spoke more about his innovations in the latter part of his innings.

The century was not meant to be. Like India’s victory. But not too many get a standing ovation, even after missing a century. The crowd at the PCA ground knew better today.