5 Times Sachin Tendulkar stood between Team India and defeat

We often hear the typical cliché sentences like “every time Sachin plays well, India loses a match”, from the critics but that isn’t true. Tendulkar always wanted to perform best for his team. Out of Sachin’s 49 ODI tons, India won on 33 occasions.

He amassed a massive 11157 runs in 234 ODIs hitting 33 tons and 59 half centuries for a winning cause. In the remaining 229 innings, Sachin scored at a satisfactory average of 33. Master blaster has quite a few match-winning performances and it was often that he rose to the occasion when the team needed it the most.

He might have failed to deliver at the finals of the two World Cups but had done exceptionally leading into the finals playing a pivotal role for the team with the bat. Sachin also guided the India batting attack with his awe-inspiring batting right through his career.

Here are the five ODI innings of the master when he steered India to important victories.

#5. 88 V/s Australia at Bangalore (Titan Cup 1996):

Despite a fantastic bowling show by India to restricted the Kangaroo to a modest score of 215 in 50 overs, India seriously crumbled in front of the Aussie bowling attack including the likes of Glenn McGrath, Damien Fleming and Steve Waugh. Only Sachin stood tall and played a fantastic 88-run knock.

He got out and India’s score came down to 164 for 8. Luckily, they won the match courtesy Kumble-Srinath partnership of 52 runs for the 9th wicket. Then again in the Titan Cup final of 1996 between India and South Africa in Mumbai, master blaster scored 67 (top-scorer in the match) to help India put 220 on the board batting first on a bowling wicket.

In reply, South Africa fell like a pack of cards and were bowled out at 185. Kumble picked up 4 for 25 and was the hero of the match. In this series, Tendulkar topped the chart with 320 runs in 6 matches.

#4. 141 V/s Australia in Dhaka (Wills Cup, 1998):

It was a must-win match for India to proceed further in the tournament. After losing two quick wickets for just 8 runs, it was the Tendulkar-Dravid partnership worth 140 runs that built the foundation for India’s win.

Sachin demolished every Aussie bowler in his 128-ball 141 hitting 13 boundaries and 3 sixes. Eventually, after 50 overs India successfully posted 307 runs on the board. The Aussies started off well with a good 51-run partnership for the first wicket between Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist.

But later on, Tendulkar was on the pitch again with the ball and ran through the Australian middle order including the crucial wickets of Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan, Brad Young and Damien Martyn. Tendulkar was adjudged Man of the match for his 141 and picking 4 crucial wickets.

#3. 98 V/s Pakistan at Centurion (World Cup 2003):

Pakistan batted first and posted 273 runs on the board. Now, it was India’s turn to chase down the total. But pitch wasn’t easy as it supported both pace and bounce. Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar opened the bowling for Pakistan but Sachin-Sehwag had some other plans in mind.

The little master tore apart Pakistan’s fast bowling attack and it was raining boundaries across the stadium. Tendulkar also hit the first six of the match on a short ball from Shoaib Akhtar over the third man region for a famous six. Team India slowly took control of the match as Sachin was inching towards a ton. But a surprise bouncer from Akhtar got the better of him but India won the match quite comfortably.

#2. 128 V/s Sri Lanka in Colombo (Singer-Akai Nidahas Trophy Final, 1998):

While playing against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1998 at Akai Nidahas Trophy Final, Tendulkar scored a magnificent 128. Also, Sourav Ganguly scored a fluent 109 as India piled a huge 307 runs on board batting first. Sachin-Sourav added a record 252-run partnership for the first wicket in this match.

In reply, Sri Lanka played well. Aravinda de Silva scored a magnificent 105, but eventually, Sri Lanka got out at 301 and conceded 6-run a defeat. It was one of the closest competitions and no doubt, if it was not for Sachin’s century and the partnership with Dada the team would have found it tough to beat a strong Sri Lankan team.

#1. 91 V/s Australia 2008 (CB series 2nd Final):

After hitting a fine 117* against Australia in the 1st final of the CB series steering India to a win, Tendulkar produced another masterly performance with a 91-run knock sending 7 hits to the fence. He was the top scorer in that match. India set a target of 258 for Aussies to chase.

Despite losing wickets, Australia came back strongly in the middle over with James Hopes’ 63-run knock down the order. But Australia were bowled out for 249 as India won the CB Series 2008 with two consecutive wins in the first two finals.