Legendary batters Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, one of the most successful opening pairs in ODI cricket, have a common thing between them. In addition to scripting match-winning partnerships by belting opposition bowlers on numerous occasions, both of them were denied ODI centuries by Sri Lankan bowlers within eight months.
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Had the same not happened (even unintentionally), Tendulkar and Sehwag would’ve had one less unbeaten 90s in their respective ODI careers. Instead, they would’ve been richer by another hundred in a format they excelled on the back of scoring a combined of 3,919 runs across 93 innings including 12 century partnerships at the top of the order.
Sachin Tendulkar Was Denied ODI Century By Lasith Malinga’s Wides
Chasing a 240-run target in the third ODI of Sri Lanka’s tour of India at the Barabati Stadium, Tendulkar had played throughout the 42.3 overs as the home team registered a 7-wicket victory on the back of five wides bowled by former Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga.
Needing seven runs in eight overs, Tendulkar had started the last over of the match with a boundary before giving a single to wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik. With Karthik playing a dot ball, there was still scope left for Tendulkar to regain strike and hit a boundary to complete the four runs required to reach what would’ve been his 46th ODI century at the time.
That being said, it wasn’t to be after India earned the remaining two runs by the medium of extras bowled by the right-arm bowler. Leading the side on the given day, Sehwag hadn’t accused Malinga of deliberately bowling five wides but didn’t forget to mention the incident when he himself was denied a similar opportunity nearly nine months after December 2009.
It is to be noted that even Karthik had faced severe criticism for playing a small role in assisting Malinga. For those who don’t know, the right-handed batter had stepped out of his crease to hit spinner Suraj Randiv for a six in the previous over.
Virender Sehwag Was Denied ODI Hundred Due To Suraj Randiv’s No Ball
Randiv, meanwhile, had emerged as a bigger culprit than Malinga after he bowled a nearly foot-long no-ball in the third match of Sri Lanka Triangular Series 2010 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.
Chasing a 171-run target in August 2010, a comprehensive 6-wicket victory was bereft of what would’ve been Sehwag’s 13th ton in the format. While Sehwag managed to achieve the milestone in the same series against New Zealand, he was left stranded on 99* in the particular match becoming only the 10th batter to remain unbeaten on a run short of the three-figure mark.
For the uninitiated, runs coming off a batter’s bat aren’t counted after a match has been finished by a no-ball (only one run needed to win). Therefore, Sehwag was literally robbed off a personal milestone in spite of him scoring a six off a no-ball. It is noteworthy that former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara had missed a ball in the same over which further lessened India’s target by four runs.
Speaking to the host broadcaster during the post-match presentation ceremony, Sehwag had categorically accused Randiv for bowling a no-ball on purpose. Having said that, he expressed contentment at the team earning a bonus point.
“Yes, it was done deliberately. Because [of the size of the no-ball] … that much from the crease. They [Sri Lanka] have done it because no team wants anybody to score hundreds against them.”
Sangakkara, however, denied all such accusations stating how he would have to “find out” if it was done intentionally. Labeling Randiv as a “really nice guy”, Sangakkara did mention that Sehwag deserved a century for the manner in which he hit 11 fours and a couple of sixes at a strike rate of 99.
