‘Wasim Bhai, please take me off’, former Pakistan player reveals how Sachin Tendulkar smashed him

But
it
is
fair
to
say,
the
colliding
of
India
and
Pakistan
is
still
the
biggest
commodity
of
cricket.
Both
in
terms
of
the
intensity
and
the
quality
of
game,
clashes
between
these
two
teams
glue
the
entire
world
in
front
of
their
television
set.

There
are
many
many
memorable
moments
from
the
iconic
matches
between
India
and
Pakistan.
And
former
Pakistan
bowler
Saqlain
Mushtaq
recently
revealed
one
in
a
video
podcast.

In
1999,
the
series
between
India
and
Pakistan
amid
the
Kargil
war
is
a
classic
one.
From
Sachin
Tendulkar’s
heartbreak
to
Anil
Kumble
creating
history
–
it
was
a
once-in-a-generation
series
which
has
stayed
in
the
hearts
of
the
people
across
both
sides
of
the
border.
In
the
first
Test
in
Chennai,
Saqlain
Mushtaq
emerged
as
Pakistan’s
hero
as
the
hosts
lost
the
match
agonizingly.

#OnThisDay
in
1999.
The
first
Test
between
Pakistan
and
India
for
nine
years
ended
in
Chennai.
Shahid
Afridi
smashed
141,
Sachin
Tendulkar
scored
136
and
Saqlain
Mushtaq
finished
with
ten
wickets
as
Pakistan
won
one
of
the
greatest
Test
matches
of
all
time
by
12
runs

#Cricket
pic.twitter.com/NYVzXtVZyw

—
Saj
Sadiq
(@SajSadiqCricket)

January
31,
2023

And
in
the
Nadir
Ali
podcast,
Saqlain
revealed
an
unknown
story
from
that
Test
match.

“India
vs
Pakistan
Chennai
Test.
There
is
no
better
Test
in
Pakistan’s
cricket
history
–
it
was
rated
the
No.
1
Test.
In
the
first
innings,
I
dismissed
Sachin
in
the
first
or
second
delivery.
Next
innings
when
he
came
to
bat,
which
was
at
a
very
crucial
point
in
the
match,
Sachin
did
not
play
a
single
shot
for
the
first
10
overs.
He
observed
all
the
tricks
which
I
threw
at
him.
I
tried
off-spin,
doosra,
top-spin,
arm-ball,
bowled
quicker
off-breaks,
flighted
deliveries…
he
just
played
me
cautiously
for
10-12
overs.
After
that,
he
started
smashing
me,”
Saqlain
said.

“Then
came
a
time
when
I
went
to
Wasim
Akram.
I
told
him
‘Wasim
bhai…
I
think
he
is
reading
me
well
so
please
take
me
off
and
bring
someone
else.
Akram
told
me
‘Brother,
no
matter
what,
you
will
bowl
from
this
end.
I
don’t
trust
anyone
else.
If
this
match
turns,
it
will
be
because
of
you’.
I
would
give
a
lot
of
credit
to
Wasim
Akram.
This
is
the
communication
he
and
I
had
during
that
match.”

But
it
was
Saqlain
who
got
Tendulkar
out
in
the
match
as
India
collapsed
from
the
brink
of
victory.
Chasing
271
runs,
India
were
rattling
for
82/5,
when
Tendulkar
emerged
and
smashed
the
Pakistani
bowlers
to
rally
them
back
into
the
match.
Tendulkar
scored
136
runs
and
he
batted
with
an
injured
back.
And
Saqlain,
who
got
his
wicket
to
script
a
famous
Pakistan
win,
revealed
the
strategy
which
got
him
Tendulkar’s
prized
wicket.

“For
the
next
10-12
overs,
I
did
not
bowl
a
single
variation
to
him.
I
kept
him
hooked
to
just
one
ball
which
is
off-spin
and
set
one
field
so
that
he
forgets
all
that
he
saw
and
observed
in
the
first
10
overs.
I
didn’t
show
him
the
doosra
–
either
at
the
striker
end
or
the
non-striker
end.
And
when
he
forgot,
I
went
to
Akram
and
said
‘I
think
now
I
have
caught
hold
of
him.
I
will
now
take
a
chance
against
him’.
Then
I
bowled
a
doosra
and
he
went
after
him.
Sachin
had
scored
a
100
by
then
and
had
hit
him
for
almost
16-17
fours.
India
needed
37
to
win
with
5
wickets
to
left,
and
Sachin
top-edged
it
and
Wasim
took
the
catch,”
Saqlain
concluded.

India
lost
that
match
in
Chennai
but
came
back
strongly
in
the
next
Test
in
Delhi.
Anil
Kumble
was
the
main
architect
of
the
success
as
he
picked
up
all
10
wickets
to
decimate
Pakistan.