OTD 2011: Sachin Tendulkar 85 vs Pakistan in World Cup Semi-Final Win Over Pakistan

Sachin Tendulkar delivered a memorable performance in one of cricket’s most high-pressure encounters on March 30, 2011, guiding Indi to a famous victory over Pakistan in the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at Mohali.

In a clash filled with emotion and intensity, India won the toss and opted to bat first. Openers Virender Sehwag and Tendulkar provided a steady start, with Sehwag scoring a quickfire 38. At number three, Gautam Gambhir contributed 27 runs. However, India faced a brief middle-order wobble with quick wickets falling at crucial intervals.

Amid the pressure, Tendulkar stood tall, showcasing his experience and composure. The right-hander played a vital knock of 85 runs off 115 balls, striking 11 boundaries. Though not his most fluent or chanceless innings, it proved invaluable in stabilising the innings and guiding India to a competitive total. Contributions from MS Dhoni (25) and an unbeaten 36 from Suresh Raina helped India post 260/9 in their 50 overs. For Pakistan, Wahab Riaz delivered an outstanding spell, claiming give wickets for 46 runs, while Saeed Ajmal picked up two wickets.

Chasing 261, Pakistan struggled to build sustained partnerships. Mohammad Hafeez scored 43, while captain Misbah-ul-Haq fought hard with a 56 off 76 balls. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to capitalise, and Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 231, handing India a 29-run victory.

India’s bowling unit delivered a disciplined performance, with Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Harbhajan Singh, and Yuvraj Singh picking up two wickets each to seal the win.

With this triumph, India advanced to the final, where they went on to defeat the Sri Lanka to lift the World Cup after 28 years. Tendulkar played a crucial role throughout the tournament, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer with 482 runs in nine matches at an average of 53.55, including two centuries and two fifties.

Over his illustrious ODI career, Tendulkar amassed 18,426 runs in 463 matches at an average of 44.83, with 49 centuries and 96 fifties. He remains the only cricketer in history to score 100 international centuries, a testament to his unmatched greatness and longevity in the sport.

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