Shoaib Akhtar recalls incident with Sachin Tendulkar from famous 1999 Test in Kolkata
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar were at the centre of the action in the third Test of the 1999 series in Kolkata, which was also part of the Asian Test Championship in February 1999. Despite a Tendulkar masterclass, Pakistan defeated India in the first Test in Chennai. India levelled the series with Anil Kumble’s historic 10-wicket haul in the second Test in New Delhi.
For the third Test, the action was moved to Kolkata. India’s Javagal Srinath took 13 wickets in the match, causing havoc for Pakistan’s batting unit except for Saeed Anwar, who scored an unbeaten 188 in the second innings, but the Test match is remembered more for Shoaib Akhtar.
My claim to fame came when I bowled Sachin Tendulkar: Shoaib Akhtar
On Day 2 of the Test match, the tearaway quick had uprooted the stumps of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar with successive balls. Akhtar described his ‘claim to fame’ as the in-swinging yorker that sent Tendulkar’s middle-stump flying.
“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 Vaughn and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast.’
Akhtar went on to say that he wanted to meet ‘the God of cricket’ before the Test match and tell him that he wanted to get him out, but when he 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 the first ball,” Akhtar added.
The Drama in the Test Match
The drama in that Test match had only just begun. Following Pakistan’s target of 279, India got off to a flying start thanks to a century-opening stand between Sadagopan Ramesh and VVS Laxman. Pakistan responded with Saqlain Mushtaq, who dismissed both Indian openers. Tendulkar entered to thunderous applause.
With India trailing by 143 runs, Tendulkar flicked a Wasim Akram towards the on-side and returned for a couple. Tendulkar took off when he saw the opportunity to take the third run. He would have easily made it home if it hadn’t been for a collision with Akhtar, who was attempting to collect a throw from substitute fielder Nadeem Khan.
As it turned out, the ball directly hit the stumps, and the third umpire ruled Sachin Tendulkar out. The Eden Gardens crowd was furious at Pakistan for failing to withdraw the appeal. They chanted “cheater cheater” at Akhtar, and the on-field umpires decided to take an early tea break on Day 4.
Tendulkar and Jagmohan Dalmiya had to come out and calm the crowd before the game could resume. The tension persisted until the last day of the Test match. When local boy Sourav Ganguly was dismissed and Pakistan was on the verge of victory. The crowd’s antics caused a three-hour halt in play. The police were told to clear the stands, and the game was played 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.
