The West Stand at the infamous Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday (April 24) was renamed the Sachin Tendulkar Stand in a special ceremony in Sharjah.
It not only coincided with Tendulkar’s 50th birthday but also marked the 25th anniversary of the two consecutive centuries he slammed against Australia at the same venue in 1998.
On April 22, 1998, Tendulkar powered India into the final of the tri-series with a dazzling knock of 143 from 131 balls against Australia. Even though India failed to chase down the total, the Men in Blue qualified for the final, where Sachin produced 131-ball 134 to script his team’s six-wicket victory.
Reacting to the news of naming a stand after him, Sachin Tendulkar said in a message, “I wish I was there but unfortunately I had prior commitments. Playing in Sharjah has always been a magnificent experience.”
“From the electrifying atmosphere to the love, affection and support, Sharjah has been a special venue for Indian cricket fans and lovers of the game from around the globe. It’s given us so many special moments. A big thank you to Mr Bukhatir and his team for this kind gesture on the 25th anniversary of the Desert Storm match and my 50th birthday. Feels like the greatest 6 of them all!”
During his illustrious career spanning 24 years, Tendulkar broke several records, which he holds till date. He played 200 Tests and 463 ODIs for India, scoring the world record number of runs (15921 in Tests and 18426 in ODIs) and centuries (51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs).
However, his seven ODI hundreds at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, including the twin tons against Australia in April 1998, are etched in the memories of cricket fans around the world.
“This is our small way of expressing our gratitude to Sachin for doing so much for the game of cricket. Indeed, that was an incredible innings, and it was repeated in the finals,” Khalaf Bukhatir, CEO of the Sharjah Stadium, said.
“Right through the years of the now legendary CBFS initiative we have striven here at Sharjah to acknowledge the services of many great players even after their retirement. We believe that as administrators it is our duty to pay tribute to those who have raised the bar and dedicated their lives to the cause of cricket, and we will continue to do so,” he added.
