Great players are remembered not by their individual milestones but by their ability to drive their team to glory on the "Big Days". Sachin Tendulkar has a similar record especially in the shorter version of the game and he showed another glimpse of his class during India's chase in the 4th one dayer in Gwalior which was instrumental in helping I ndia to clinch the series against Pakistan after a gap of 24 years on home soil. He showed his class earlier during the second one dayer however it was not enough then. Today he virtually sealed Pakistan's fate with a calculated and very effective assault on the Pakistan bowling attack. Barring the volatile Shoaib Akhtar, there was no one who could give him second thoughts.
His innings was certainly the corner-stone of the Indian innings. The confidence with which Sachin attacked the Pakistan bowling attack, set the tone of the Indian run chase. He took the responsibility and led the batting from the front which enabled the others to bat around him and clinch the deal. He was spot on in gauging the pace of the pitch that helped him to decide whether to play any ball on the front or the back foot. The three consecutive boundaries off Shahid Afridi were an absolute treat and the expression on the bowler's face said it all. He was just unstoppable.
He might have missed out on the seemingly elusive 42nd ODI century but then it is just a matter of time before he breaks the jinx and then as it happened during his early days, there would be a flurry of centuries. There is no doubt about the fact that players like him take the center stage may be once in a lifetime. That's Sachin Tendulkar....
Take a Bow!!!
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