Sachin Tendulkar scored 13th ODI century: The legendary batsman’s knock had put India in a comforting position against Australia.
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On this day in 1998, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar had registered his 13th ODI century in yet another winning effort as his knock put India in a comforting position during the fourth match of the Pepsi Triangular Series in Kanpur.
After the then Australia captain Steve Waugh won the toss and chose to bat, the visitors put on board 222/9 in 50 overs on the back of Ricky Ponting top-scoring with 84 (139). With bowling figures of 10-0-46-4, India pacer Ajit Agarkar was the pick of their bowlers.
Tendulkar, who opened the batting with Sourav Ganguly (72), stitched a match-winning 175-run opening partnership at a healthy run rate.
Waugh’s attempt of introducing spinner Gavin Robertson into the attack in the sixth over witnessed the first sign of aggression from Tendulkar who stepped out to hit the off-spinner down the track for a six and a four on consecutive deliveries.
Tendulkar hitting Robertson for another six in his following over saw India crossing the 50-run mark. In the Damien Fleming over that followed, Tendulkar hit three fours to further pile on the agony on the visitors.
On the first delivery of the 14th over, Tendulkar drove Australia all-rounder Tom Moody to run a couple of runs and complete a 39-ball half-century. Tendulkar, then 24, hit Moody for two sixes in the same over as he showed no signs of cooling down.
After hitting more sixes off Australian spinners in Darren Lehmann and Shane Warne, Tendulkar flicked a Fleming delivery in the 28th over to score a century. Tendulkar, who mis-timed a Warne delivery to substitute fielder Damien Martyn at point in the next over, ended up scoring 100 (89) with the help of five fours and seven sixes.
While India did lose three more wickets, they eventually chased the target in the 45th over without much discomfort.
Sachin Tendulkar scored 13th ODI century
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