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World Cup record Tendulkar plays for father as he blazes to century
Posted: Wednesday June 30, 1999 07:20 PM
BRISTOL, England (CNN/SI) -- Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid both hit centuries as they set a third-wicket World Cup record of 237 as India beat Kenya by 94 runs on Sunday A grieving Tendulkar returned to England from his father's funeral in India just 24 hours before the match to score an unbeaten 140 runs. He and Rahul Dravid put on 237 for the third wicket, the biggest partnership in World Cup history, as India smashed 329 for two in its 50 overs. "I'd like to dedicate this victory to my father. This is a very special day for me," said Tendulkar who raised his eyes to the heavens when he reached his century. "It was difficult to keep it all out of my mind while I was batting." India's score of 329 was the highest score of the tournament so far and India's biggest score in its World Cup history. Kenya never looked close to threatening India's mammoth score and finished with 235 runs for seven wickets. Until Sunday India had suffered a miserable World Cup, losing its first two matches and Tendulkar when he rushed home to Bombay after the death of his father early on Wednesday. But the 26-year-old, knowing his father would want him to save India rather than mourn him, flew back to England earlier than planned, to play in the match against Kenya and came in with India on 92 for two in the 21st over. Dravid and Tendulkar began cautiously, plucking singles from the gentle Kenyan bowling until both reached their half centuries. Then they put the Kenyan attack to the sword. Tendulkar accelerated the fastest, reaching the first century of the 1999 World Cup in 84 balls -- his second 50 taking just 30 balls -- and he smacked his last 40 runs in just 17 deliveries. Tendulkar stroked the ball to every area of the ground, hitting 10 fours and two sixes with the silky touch and harnessed power that has become his trademark. "I had a lot of different reasons for doing well today but the main one was that when I got home to India my mother said, 'what are you doing here? Your father would have wanted you to be playing for India and winning the cup.' So I came back," Tendulkar said. The 26-year-old's innings eclipsed the fine 104 not out of partner Dravid, his second one-day international century containing 10 fours. Their partnership broke the record of 207 set by Steve and Mark Waugh for Australia against Kenya in the 1996 World Cup. India started well, with openers Sadogopan Ramesh and Saurav Ganguly putting on 50 for the first wicket before Ganguly fell leg before wicket to Martin Suji for 13. Ramesh scored 44 before being run out and lifting the curtain on Tendulkar's genius. Suji bowled with impressive accuracy, finishing with one for 26 from his 10 overs. They were however, overs bowled before Tendulkar came to the crease. After suffering in the field, Kenya refused to roll over and batted impressively against an Indian attack weakened by the absence of spinner Anil Kumble and paceman Venkatesh Prasas. Debashish Mohanty broke through early for India, taking the wickets of Ravindu Shah and Sandeep Gupta in successive balls with the score on 29. But Steve Tikolo, with 58, and opener Kennedy Otieno, with 56, shone in a partnership of 118 that took the score to 147 before the Kenyan challenge faded. Mohanty took four for 56 but the day belonged to Tendulkar. "He [Tendulkar] is the best player in the world so that's how important it was to have him back," said India's captain Mohammad Azharuddin. It left Kenya facing the improbable target of 330 to win.
Reuters contributed to this report. | |||||||||||||||||
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