“Today the GOD will play,” was the general feeling among cricket fans since Saturday morning because master blaster Sachin Tendulkar was making his return to the cricket field in the second season of the Road Safety World Series 2022 T20 tournament.
The 8-team tournament kicked off on Saturday at the Green Park, Kanpur, where defending champions India took on South Africa Legends who were captained by the greatest fielder of all time, Jonty Rhodes.
Poster boy of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar is the captain of the Indian Legends team; Tendulkar had led the side to the title when India defeated Sri Lanka Legends in the final last year.
Fans go gaga over Sachin Tendulkar’s boundaries
Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and elected to bat first. Chants of “Sachin…Sachin…” reverberated in the Green Park Stadium as Tendulkar strode out to open alongside Naman Ojha. Naman Ojha got away to a good start straightaway with two boundaries in the first over, off Garnett Kruger.
But it was in the fourth over when Tendulkar took on pacer Makhaya Ntini for a boundary via his sumptuous straight drive toward long on that the crowd went crazy. In the next over, the ‘GOD of Cricket’ hit another straight drive, to Johan van der Wath, this time the ball reaching the long-off fence.
Tendulkar’s stay, though, was ended in the sixth over by Makhaya Ntini, the Indian opener caught by Johan Botha. Despite managing a score of only 16 runs, Tendulkar walked off to a raucous ovation.
Twitterati was happy to see 49-year-old Tendulkar turn back the clock, even only for a couple of fours.
Here are some of the best tweets on Sachin Tendulkar’s return:
Sachin: Straight Drive
Suresh Raina: Lofted Cover drive
— Sunil the Cricketer (@1sInto2s) September 10, 2022
Watching Sachin, Dhoni and Yuvraj play gives me different level happiness. No cricketer will match those levels for me.
— Srivatsa Avasarala (@srivatsa_av1) September 10, 2022
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Saachin Sachin chants in stands, boundaries by @sachin_rt, National Anthem waving the 🇮🇳 flag.. it’s all happening in #RoadSafetyWorldSeries
India Legends on the move and Suresh Raina looking to go big. #SachinTendulkar pic.twitter.com/EQz05r7LlO
— Prabhu (@Cricprabhu) September 10, 2022
Sachin Tendulkar departs for 16 but this shot will stay#RoadSafetyWorldSeries2022 pic.twitter.com/R4BQOoO4zW
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) September 10, 2022
Sachin…. Sachinnnn..💥 pic.twitter.com/Ng6Rs26v7s
— Sachin Tendulkar🇮🇳FC (@CrickeTendulkar) September 10, 2022
We’re in 2022, and Sachin Tendulkar is still wearing a blue kit, opening the innings for ‘India’.
📷 @Colors_Cineplex / @RSWorldSeries pic.twitter.com/2Y1Q70K8xa
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) September 10, 2022
Cricket willl play sachin tendulkar today.#indLvsSaL pic.twitter.com/fzK0AONr0z
— Anand. (@iamaktX27) September 10, 2022
Sachin plays his natural game✅
Sachin fans off the TV after Sachin got out✅
Somethings never change! #RoadSafetyWorldSeries2022 pic.twitter.com/GY0qsUC5YF— Dark Lord 😉 (@Dark_Loord_) September 10, 2022
Sachin Tendulkar’s straight shots still give goosebumps
— Sunil the Cricketer (@1sInto2s) September 10, 2022
Sachin out and switched off TV.
Some things Never change! pic.twitter.com/eLPfhhSAZF— Sachin Tendulkar🇮🇳FC (@CrickeTendulkar) September 10, 2022
Cricket will be back today!!
We can’t wait to see this moment!! @sachin_rt Thank You for taking part in @RSWorldSeries !! pic.twitter.com/OeLHaF2B9U
— Sachinist (@Sachinist) September 9, 2022
Sachin is coming today.#SachinTendulkar pic.twitter.com/To5dC9m53o
— Sachinist (@Sachinist) September 9, 2022
While the return of Tendulkar and Raina and Yuvraj was talked about a lot, it was Stuart Binny who headlined everywhere after India’s innings courtesy of blistering knock. With the help of 5 fours and 6 sixes, Binny, the former India all-rounder, blasted 82 runs off 42 balls to take India to over 200; Yusuf Pathan gave the finishing touch with 4 sixes in the last 2 overs as India ended with a giant total of 217/4 in 20 overs.
