"Mera naam uske naam ke saath juda rahega". Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq remains indebted to god and this great sport. He is forever etched in the memories of fans as the man to dismiss the great Sachin Tendulkar to help his nation clinch victory in the iconic Chennai 1999 Test.
That match is remembered for many things. Being the first Test of an India-Pakistan series in a decade aside, it was a nail-biter, a perfect see-saw battle, where the best of the drama was reserved for the last.
India, chasing 271 to win in the fourth innings, found itself reeling at 81/5, with all hopes left on the shoulders of Tendulkar, but the man kept faith and played inarguably one of the best-ever Test knocks on a dry surface against an attack featuring Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis to take India extremely close.
But when Pakistan needed him the most, Saqlain was there in the moment, as he made Tendulkar top-edge a ball against the spin to be caught at mid-off with still 17 runs needed for a win. With both ends then open, Pakistan soon prevailed by 12 runs and earned a standing ovation from the packed crowd at Chepauk, a moment India as a nation can still be proud of.
"God was on my side that day. I did not think that I will get the Master blaster (Sachin) out. But when god has plans, you can’t beat that,” Saqlain told Sportstar.
"Till my last breath, it will give me enough pride that I could dismiss him that day."
Saqlain also remembers how a chat with captain Wasim really boosted his morale.
"There was a time when Sachin was sparing no one, and was playing beautifully. So, I walked up to Wasim bhai (then Pakistan captain, Wasim Akram) and told him that it was getting tough for the bowlers to tackle him. Psychologically, I was feeling a bit down."
"He (Wasim) told me that he had full faith in me and he believed that I could do something magical for the team. Those words helped and I suddenly felt stronger. I conceded a few boundaries, but eventually, got him out."
"Sachin had sharp eyes and he could read everything. It was intimidating," added the 43-year-old. "You wouldn’t believe, but I was scared to bowl him the doosra -- fearing that he might hit boundaries. That was his power. The pitch was slow, so it was tough. But then, with god’s grace, I could send him packing."
Revisiting those memories, Saqlain feels it's a real pity that the two nations don't play each other regularly because of political tensions.
"Touring India was always fun," he said. "People were hospitable. You could go out shopping or visit restaurants for Hyderabadi biryani and people won’t accept money. Such was the gesture. But on the field, we knew we could not afford to lose."
There is a glimmer of hope for the things to change, reckons Saqlain, with Sourav Ganguly taking over as new BCCI president.
"He (Sourav) is a dada, a superstar and a hero," he said. "He is for everyone. He has been the strongest Indian captain, who never got influenced by anyone."
"He led the team from the front, and his legacy has been carried forward by M.S. Dhoni and Virat Kohli -- who is learning the job. Sourav is a very strong man."
"I am sure he will think about (resuming India-Pakistan series). I hope we keep aside all the hate and let peace and love prevail."
(Inputs from Sportstar)
