Sachin sets the world alight

Cricket World Cup: Little Master reaches new heights of artistic destruction

It had been a long time, so long that it was possible cricket had forgotten precisely what it was missing. But yesterday in a packed, frenzied ground in Centurion, thousands of miles away from the sub-continent, India and Pakistan provided the most glorious reminder.

Better matches and tighter finishes may lie ahead in the eighth World Cup but there will be no more alluring spectacle. Nor will there be a more scintillating innings than that played by the wondrous Sachin Tendulkar, unless he plays it himself.

India won, by six wickets, the first match between the countries for almost three years. They did so by overhauling Pakistan's perfectly presentable total of 273 for 7, making it the highest successful pursuit in this tournament. There were, astonishingly, 26 balls left. Saeed Anwar had constructed a handsome, craftsman's century for Pakistan, his first for 34 innings, but it was to be superseded by a genius presenting a masterclass.

What a start India had in their pursuit. Before a baying throng, which was hell bent on making Eden Gardens seem like a lib-rary, Tendulkar embarked on a blistering, premeditated assault. Nine runs came from the first over, 18 from the second at the start of which Tendulkar volleyed Shoaib Akhtar over point for six.

By the time Virender Sehwag departed, India were 53 in the sixth over. To the next ball, Sourav Ganguly was leg before. Then arrived the game's must crucial point. Tendulkar, on 32, was dropped by Abdul Razzaq above his head at mid-off. This did not stop Tendulkar's gallop. The severe and recurring cramps which he suffered shortly after barely restrained him.

Occasionally, there are engaging debates about who might be the best batsman in the world. They are mere space-fillers and users-up of breath. Tendulkar is not only prolific, he is breathtaking to watch. He played a couple of strokes down the ground which were models of timing and power. He played straight often but as ever he was not afraid to whip through mid-wicket. His late adjustments were, like the gunslinger's draw, often too quick for the naked eye. On the way, he became the first batsman to score 12,000 one-day international runs. Forget the shaky stock market, put your house on his being the first to score 13,000, or 25,000.

When Tendulkar was on 98 and his 35th one-day century was a formality, he finally asked for a runner after the game was halted for five minutes while he had a rub-down. Immediately, Akhtar was brought back into the attack. He had been fast as usual but hopelessly wayward. Suddenly he produced a brutal short ball which jagged into Tendulkar. The master batsman could only fend it off his gloves into the hands of a diving gully.

If that ball could dismiss Tendulkar, it would have dismissed anybody. He had batted for 75 balls. Had it not been for the cramps perhaps the fastest World Cup century of all (67 balls by John Davison of Canada at this ground six days previously) would have been his. Perhaps it will be.

But his departure to a noise which would have taken the roof off the stadium if it had a roof, made no difference. India were so far ahead of the run-rate that they won pretty much as they pleased. Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh closed it out. They put on exactly 100; Singh reached a flowing half-century at nearly a run a ball, Dravid played with erect calmness.

This was not quite the scenario that was easy to envisage when Pakistan won the toss and batted. Their batsmen had been a long time in gelling at this tournament. This was the moment. They had won the last match between the sides in June 2000 but they had lost all three previous World Cup matches. Pakistan went on famously to become champions after one of those defeats in 1992. To progress now, they have to rely on England losing today and then beat Zimbabwe on Tuesday by, well, by a cricket score.

Anwar owed Pakistan. He is not the player he was. Never will be again. But he foraged for his runs, gliding strokes on both sides behind the wicket. Pakistan did not do as well as they might have done in playing round him but it was to be a bowler's day. Ashish Nehra, scourge of England, was not quite so penetrating. His 6 for 23 at Durban transmogrified into 2 for 74.

The crowd recognised that they had witnessed something special. Even Tendulkar, with all his runs, said as much. Ganguly put on his Cheshire Cat smile. India have only one blot on their escutcheon as they enter the Super Six stage of the competition: the fact that they were overwhelmed by Australia.

Some of their bowling could be cannon fodder for Australia's fearsome attack. But there is no doubt that India, with the revered Tendulkar, can go all the way to the final. Two weeks ago in the streets of Indian cities they were burning effigies. Last night, as Ganguly was well aware, they were going through the early stages of canonisation.

Scoreboard

Pakistan won toss

Pakistan
Saeed Anwar b Nehra 101
Taufeeq Umar b Khan 22
Abdul Razzaq c Dravid b Nehra 12
Inzamam-ul-Haq run out 6
Yousuf Youhana c Khan b Srinath 25
Younis Khan c Mongia b Khan 32
Shahid Afridi c Kumble b Mongia 9
Rashid Latif not out 29
Wasim Akram not out 10
Extras (b2, lb7, w11, nb7) 27
Total (for 7, 50 overs) 273

Fall: 1-58 2-90 3-98 4-171 5-195 6-208 7-256.

Did Not Bat: Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar.

Bowling: Khan 10-0-46-2, Srinath 10-0-41-1, Nehra 10-0-74-2, Kumble 10-0-51-0, Ganguly 3-0-14-0, Sehwag 4-0-19-0, Mongia 3-0-19-1.

India
S R Tendulkar c Younis Khan b Shoaib Akhtar 98
V Sehwag c Shahid Afridi b Waqar Younis 21
*S C Ganguly lbw b Waqar Younis 0
M Kaif b Shahid Afridi 35
R Dravid not out 44
Yuvraj Singh not out 50
Extras (b1, lb3, w19, nb5) 28
Total (for 4, 45.4 overs) 276

Fall: 1-53 2-53 3-155 4-177.

Did Not Bat: D Mongia, A Nehra, A Kumble, Z Khan, J Srinath.

Bowling: Wasim Akram 10-0-48-0, Shoaib Akhtar 10-0-72-1, Waqar Younis 8.4-0-71-2, Shahid Afridi 9-0-45-1, Abdul Razzaq 8-0-36-0.

India won by 6 wickets.

Umpires: R E Koertzen (SA) and D R Shepherd (Eng).