Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar recently revisited the joy of India’s historic 2011 World Cup victory, expressing his desire to relive that moment. During an event at Rashtrapati Bhavan Vimarsh Shrinkhala, he described the triumph as the pinnacle of his career. Tendulkar, accompanied by his wife Anjali and daughter Sara, met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the nation’s capital.
Reflecting on the journey that began in 1983, Tendulkar shared how multiple attempts at winning the coveted title ended in disappointment, but he never lost hope. His perseverance finally paid off when India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the 2011 World Cup final at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Batting first, Sri Lanka posted 274/6 in 50 overs, powered by Mahela Jayawardene’s unbeaten 103, while Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh claimed two wickets each for India.
India’s chase got off to a shaky start with the early dismissals of Virender Sehwag (0) and Tendulkar (18). However, Gautam Gambhir (97) anchored the innings alongside Virat Kohli (35), building an 83-run partnership. Skipper MS Dhoni’s unbeaten 91 off 79 balls, combined with Yuvraj Singh’s 21*, secured India’s second World Cup title after a gap of 28 years.
During the event, Tendulkar also paid tribute to his childhood mentor, Ramakant Achrekar, acknowledging his vital role in shaping his career. He recalled how Achrekar pushed him to practice at five different nets during summer vacations, instilling discipline and resilience. Achrekar, who passed away in 2019 at 87, was honored with the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 1990 and the Padma Shri in 2010 for his contributions to cricket.
On another significant occasion, the cricket maestro was honored with the Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI Awards ceremony in Mumbai. Tendulkar, who made his international debut in 1989 at just 16, remains cricket’s highest run-scorer with 34.4 million runs across 664 matches. He holds the unparalleled record of 100 centuries and was the first to score a double century in ODIs.
From his early days to global recognition, Tendulkar’s influence on cricket remains unmatched. Even after retirement, his legacy continues to inspire future generations.
