A bowling line-up comprising Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar can run through any opposition, and that’s what Akhtar targeted — to run through the Indian batting line-up, which was equally ominous with Tendulkar and Sehwag at the top, followed by Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh.
But Akhtar’s plans went flat right from the start of India’s chase, after Saeed Anwar’s century took Pakistan to a challenging 273 for 7.
“I remember Shoaib Akhtar gave a statement that he will target the (Indian) top order aur unko dharashayi kar denge (and will demolish it). I didn’t read it, nor did, I think, Tendulkar because we used to stay away from newspapers and TV during those days. Lekin uska jawab karara diya Sachin Tendulkar ne,” Sehwag said in a Star Sports video two years ago.
Tendulkar launched an aggressive assault on Akhtar, pummeling him for 18 runs in his opening over, ending it with a 6, 4, 4, off the last three deliveries.
Tendulkar was at his sublime best, scoring a magnificent 98 runs off just 75 balls, which to date he considers his best ODI knock.
Incidentally, Sehwag, who was dismissed by Younis for 21, made another appearance in the middle during the match as Tendulkar’s runner after the legend started cramping towards the latter part of his innings.
“I also came to run for Tendulkar during the game because he was having cramps, and Shahid Afridi was abusing him a lot, kept saying something or the other,” recalled Sehwag. “But he (Tendulkar) remained focussed. He knew it was important for him to stay at the crease. He usually doesn’t take a runner, but still he knew that if I come, I will run as he does. There won’t be any run-out or misunderstanding.”
One of Tendulkar’s shots that remains etched in the memory of fans is the six he hit off Akhtar in the second over of India’s run-chase — an uppercut that sailed into the crowd and got the Indian fans jumping.
“These kinds of shots are not planned, when you see the ball and have time to play then you go for it,” Tendulkar said, talking about it at the India Today Conclave in 2023. “That’s exactly what happened. I saw that the ball was a little bit outside the off stump and it was short.”
Akhtar got his revenge later in the match, dismissing Tendulkar two runs short of a well-deserved century. But Yuvraj (50 not out) and Dravid (44 not out) thwarted Pakistan’s comeback hopes to take the team to a famous six-wicket win.