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On This Day In 1995: Sachin Tendulkar, at 21 years and 114 days, became the youngest to surpass 3000 ODI runs during the Asia Cup, scoring 112 runs against Sri Lanka for an eight-wicket win.
Sachin Tendulkar’s masterclass helped India make quick work of Sri Lanka, beating them by eight wickets in Sharjah. (Image: ICC/X, formerly Twitter)
On This Day In 1995: Three decades ago, a 21-year-old Sachin Tendulkar scripted history against a star-studded Sri Lanka side. Widely regarded as one of the finest batters to play cricket, Tendulkar holds numerous records which cement his legacy as an all-time great. He registered one such feat during India’s Asia Cup campaign in 1995. The Master Blaster showcased his talent against Arjuna Ranatunga’s men on this day in 1995.
Despite being in his early 20s, Tendulkar didn’t shy away from the challenge and smashed 112 runs against his Asian counterparts. The century made him the youngest-ever cricketer to surpass the 3000-run milestone in ODI cricket at 21 years and 114 days. The legendary Viv Richards held the previous record.
#OnThisDay in 1995, Sachin Tendulkar became the youngest man to score 3,000 ODI runs when he hit his fourth century in the format against Sri Lanka in Sharjah
He was just 15 days short of his 22nd birthday! pic.twitter.com/GkzXsxbdZ7
— ICC (@ICC) April 9, 2020
The fixture began with Sri Lanka batting first at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium. Despite being one of the most feared teams in world cricket at the time, Sri Lankan batters had no answers for India’s bowling attack.
Jagaval Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad combined for five wickets in the game, curbing Arjuna Ranatunga’s men to 202/9. Hashan Tillakaratne emerged as the team’s top scorer, adding 48 runs in 78 deliveries. Kumar Dharmasena and Sanath Jayasuriya scored another 30 and 31 runs, respectively.
Indian openers Manoj Prabhakar and Sachin Tendulkar didn’t break a sweat during India’s chase. They put on a 161-run opening stand to put the Men in Blue on course for a well-deserved victory.
Tendulkar impressed several fans and critics with his mature batting approach. The Master Blaster wasn’t smashing balls straight out of the park. Instead, he approached the game with caution while taking calculated risks. Prabhakar eventually fell for 60 runs but the 21-year-old kept going.
Navjot Singh Sidhu arrived to fill Manoj Prabhakar’s shoes alongside Sachin Tendulkar but failed to keep up with his young teammate. Sidhu was dismissed for three runs by Sanath Jayasuriya. Despite the quick losses, India remained in pole position for a victory.
Jagaval Srinath came out to bat alongside Tendulkar to help the Men in Blue sail over the finish line. Srinath smashed two boundaries, racking up 14 runs in 12 balls.
His 21-year-old teammate remained unbeaten at 112 in 107 deliveries. He hit 15 boundaries and one six as India romped home with 16.5 overs to spare.
Sachin Tendulkar’s masterclass helped India make quick work of Sri Lanka, beating them by eight wickets in Sharjah. The 3000-run milestone also marked a significant moment in Tendulkar’s career who finished with 18,426 runs in the format.
