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I told Sachin ‘You have no chance against me and bowled him first ball’: Akhtar recalls IND vs PAK 1999 Kolkata Test
Shoaib Akhtar said that the in-swinging yorker he bowled to send Sacchin Tendulkar's middle-stump flying in India vs Pakistan Test match in Kolkata in 1999, was his 'claim to fame.'
What's an India vs Pakistan match without tension? But nobody desires it to spill out of control. Nearly 14 years ago, during an India vs Pakistan Test match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, things did spin out of control. Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar and India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar were at the centre of things in the third Test of the series, which was also a part of the Asian Test Championship in February 1999. Pakistan had beaten India in the first Test in Chennai despite a Tendulkar masterclass. India came back with Anil Kumble's historic 10-wicket haul in the second Test in New Delhi to square the series.
The action shifted to Kolkata for the third Test. India's Javagal Srinath picked up 13 wickets in the match, giving the Pakistan batting unit barring Saeed Anwar, who scored an unbeaten 188 in the second innings, a torrid time but the Test match is still remembered more for Shoaib Akhtar. The tearaway quick, playing his first Test in India, had uprooted the stumps of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar off successive balls on Day 2 of the Test match. Akhtar said that the in-swinging yorker he bowled to send Tendulkar's middle-stump flying, was his 'claim to fame.'
"My claim to fame came when I bowled Sachin Tendulkar off the first ball," Akhtar recalled when asked about his most prized wicket in 'The Vaughny and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast.'
Akhtar further added how he wanted to meet 'the God of cricket' before the Test match and tell him that he would want to get him out but when the former Pakistan speedster saw Tendulkar, he thought the former India captain 'had no chance' against him.
"I went up to many Indian cricketers and said 'I want to see the God of cricket.' They said 'don't you know him?' I said 'No, I want to see him because I want to bowl him out off the first ball.' So, Sachin, the nicest guy on the planet, the greatest batsman... I went up to him, looked at him, checked him out and said 'Brother, you have no chance against me'. So, I bowled him first ball," Akhtar added.
The drama had just begun in that Test match. After Pakistan gave India a target of 279, the hosts got off to a brilliant start thanks to a century opening stand between Sadagopan Ramesh and VVS Laxman. Pakistan struck back through Saqlain Mushtaq who sent both the Indian openers back. In walked Tendulkar to thunderous applause. With India at 143 for 2 Tendulkar flicked a Wasim Akram towards the on-side and came back for a couple. Seeing the opportunity to take the third run, Tendulkar took off. He would have reached home comfortably but for a collision with Akhtar, who was trying to collect the throw from substitute fielder Nadeem Khan.
As it turned out, the ball hit the stumps directly and the third umpire ruled it Sachin Tendulkar run out. The Eden Gardens crowd was livid with Pakistan for not withdrawing the appeal. They directed 'cheater cheater' slogans at Akhtar and the on-field umpires decided to take an early Tea on Day 4.
Tendulkar and Jagmohan Dalmiya had to come and pacify the crowd for play to resume. The tension continued to the final day of the Test match. When local boy Sourav Ganguly was dismissed and Pakistan inched towards a victory, the crowd's unruly behaviour caused a three-hour stoppage in play. The police were directed to clear the stands and the match was completed in front of empty stands.
"First time in the history of cricket, 70-80 thousand people were evacuated. The Test match was delayed by two hours because of me. The match was being played in front of close to 100 thousand and now suddenly there was nobody," Akhtar said.
