Sachin Tendulkar is rolling back the years in the ongoing Road Safety World Series T20 tournament. He’d gotten off to a couple of quickfire starts but couldn’t convert it. The India Legends captain has been lacing fours and sixes with the same immaculate class as he used during his international career.
On Thursday, against England Legends, in Dehradun, Tendulkar entertained the crowd and sent fans on social media in a frenzy with a blistering knock of 40 runs off only 20 balls, clatter three fours and three sixes, giving India a rapid start in the powerplay which went a long way in ensuring a 40-run win in a game that was curtailed to 15-over a side due to rain.
On his third ball, Tendulkar picked up his first boundary, a tuck towards backward square leg off Stephen Parry. In the next over, Tendulkar went berserk against former England pacer Chris Tremlett walloping the lanky pacer for 6, 6, 4.
The first six was a trademark Tendulkar lap, the ball carrying all the way over the boundary at fine leg. But it was the second six that was just sensational and blew up the internet. Pre-meditating a back-of-length ball, Tendulkar stepped out swiftly and bludgeoned it back down the ground, over the long-on boundary for a maximum, reminiscing the 1998 desert storm knock in Sharjah against Australia.
A fan even dubbed Tony Greig’s iconic commentary piece from that iconic Sharjah knock into this six. He followed it with another boundary off the next ball to finish an expensive 18-run over.
The 49-year-old was not done yet: he thumped Rikki Clarke for a six and Jade Dernbach for a boundary, as India ended the powerplay at the score of 68/1 (opener Naman Ojha was dismissed by Parry) with Tendulkar on 40 off only 18 deliveries. Unfortunately, Tendulkar missed his fifty when he chipped the ball back to leg-spinner Chris Schofield for an easy caught and bowled.
Tendulkar got a standing ovation from the Dehradun crowd who were thoroughly entertained. Entertained were also fans on social media as netizens poured in tributes for Tendulkar’s terrific knock. Some even joked that the 49-year-old should be called up to Team India’s T20 World Cup squad.
Here are some of the best reactions to Sachin Tendulkar’s innings:
Vintage Sachin Tendulkar pic.twitter.com/qvogWLkVqC
— Sachin Tendulkar🇮🇳FC (@CrickeTendulkar) September 22, 2022
Dear Team India!
Let Virat Kohli bat at No.3. Because if you require a back-up opener for T20 World Cup, there’s one batting in Dehradun right now
Still stepping out to quicks and hitting them for six#SachinTendulkar #RSWS #INDLvENGL
— Aditya Bhattacharya (@aditya_bh16) September 22, 2022
Are we in 1998???? @RSWorldSeries | @sachin_rt | @100MasterBlastr #SachinTendulkar pic.twitter.com/5y3X2HsORH
— Pratik Deshmukh (@one_family__) September 22, 2022
At age 49, If He is in Pitch then he will dominate.🔥💥
God of Cricket for a Reason😎 #SachinTendulkar pic.twitter.com/m0peYLEu8B
— Sachin Tendulkar🇮🇳FC (@CrickeTendulkar) September 22, 2022
A 49 years old Sachin Tendulkar again Proved “Age is just a number” 🥺❤
Sir why you retired we’ll missed you and your those Eye 👀 Catching shots❣#SachinTendulkar . #LegendsLeagueCricket pic.twitter.com/0liGrmpRQb
— 𝓢𝓾𝓫𝓱𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮🍁 (@subhu__RO45) September 22, 2022
KINGS Are Temporary, GOD Is Permanent! ♥️#SachinTendulkar #GodOfCricket #RoadSafetyWorldSeries pic.twitter.com/hkojuflt7A
— 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋 🇮🇳 (@Vishal_SRT10) September 22, 2022
𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗷𝗮𝗵 𝟮.𝟬 😍🙌🔟🏏 whattttt a playerrr 💙@sachin_rt turning back the clock 🕰️🔄#RoadSafetyWorldSeries #sachintendulkar #sharjah #GOAT #God pic.twitter.com/DflUaugI4N
— Ashish Verma (@ashu112) September 22, 2022
Yusuf Pathan (27 off 11) and Yuvraj Singh (31 off 15) made significant contributions to take India Legends to 170/5 in 15 overs. In reply, England Legends managed 130/6 with Rajesh Pawar taking a three-for.
