Reliving Sachin Tendulkar's ODI hundreds (16-20)

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, widely acknowledged as the best batsman to have played the game, not only set the cricketing field on fire with a plethora of runs and records, off it too, he paved the way with an exemplary display of gentlemanly virtues and skills. The batsman, who finished his international career with 34357 runs in 664 matches, including 200 Test games and 463 ODIs, became the first player to record hundred centuries in the world of cricket.

We race our minds back to his formative years when he was still on the verge of stamping his genius-ship, by having a detailed look at his ODI century’s number sixteen to twenty.

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#1 ODI century no. 16 - 100* against Kenya, Kolkata, 1998

The Coca-Cola Triangular Series, featuring Kenya, India and Bangladesh, had its summit clash at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with the home team squaring off against the Kenyans.

Opting to bat first, the team from Africa could manage just 196 runs, courtesy the bowling efforts of Venkatesh Prasad and Ajit Agarkar. Set a paltry target of 197, the Indian team got off to a stable start, putting on 77 runs for the first wicket.

When Sourav Ganguly departed, India still had 120 runs to chase, but guided by Tendulkar’s unbeaten knock of 100 and Ajay Jadeja’s well-crafted 50, the team sailed through without any other hiccups.

#2 ODI century no. 17 - 128 against Sri Lanka, Colombo, 1998

The final of the Singer-Akai Nidahas Trophy, that had featured India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, was a nail-biting encounter between the two sub-continent nations in Colombo.

Choosing to bat, the Indian squad got off to a rollicking start, with both the openers, Ganguly and Tendulkar, notching up their respective hundreds. Tendulkar clearly was the more attacking player of the duo, smashing 128 in 131 balls, with eight boundaries and two sixes. The stage was set for a high score after the opening stand put on 252 runs for the first wicket. The Indian team ended their 50 overs with 307 on the board.

In reply, the Lankans huffed and puffed their way to 300 and just when it was assumed that they would wrap away the game, a tense run-out in the last over ensured that India walked home with the trophy.

Tendulkar was the Man of the Match.

#3 ODI century no. 18 - 127* against Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, 1998

The first ODI game in India’s tour to Zimbabwe at Bulawayo ended with an easy win for the visitors. Set a target of 214 for the win, the Indian juggernaut, led by Tendulkar’s beautifully crafted knock of 127 runs in 130 deliveries, reached the target in just the 43rd over.

In the innings, the Mumbai batsman smashed thirteen boundaries and a maximum and was particularly harsh on Pommie Mbangwa. After the early loss of Ganguly, Tendulkar combined with Rahul Dravid to take India home and eventually won the Man of the Match award for his 18th ODI hundred.

#4 Century no. 19 - 141 against Australia, Dhaka, 1998

The crucial quarter-finals of the Wills International Cup or the ICC Champions Trophy KnockOut staged in Dhaka between India and Australia began on an ominous note, with the early loss of Ganguly’s wicket. Australia, still reeling from the onslaught suffered by the hands of Tendulkar in Sharjah earlier in the year, were desperate to send the maverick back to the pavilion as early as they could, but the Mumbaikar was in no mood to provide respite.

After Mohammad Azharuddin was dismissed for a duck, Tendulkar combined with Dravid to take the score to 148, before the latter departed. Along with Ajay Jadeja, he further frustrated the opponents and produced yet another sensational century against the Aussies. His knock of 141, which was scored at a strike rate of 110.15, helped India pile up 307 runs on the board, which eventually proved too high a task for the Steve Waugh-led side.

#5 Century no. 20 - 118* against Zimbabwe, Sharjah, 1998

Tendulkar was back to the Sharjah arena that had permanently listed him as a thorn in the Australian’s flesh for the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy, featuring Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Having been beaten by Zimbabwe in the previous encounter, the onus was on the Indian batsmen to chase down the target that their rivals would put on board.

Rattled by the bowling of India’s slower bowlers, Zimbabwe could muster up just 196 runs on the board, which hardly proved a challenge with Tendulkar’s fine-flowing century. His 118 runs were scored in just 112 deliveries and as he notched up his eighth ODI hundred in 1998, he had given wide glimpses of his skills and his mastery.