4 times Sachin Tendulkar was denied a century by a spinner in World Cup cricket

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Tendulkar has played several classic knocks at cricket’s showpiece event.

Sachin Tendulkar will undoubtedly go down as the greatest batsman in the history of World Cup cricket. The ‘Master Blaster’ is the only batsman to score more than 2000 runs at cricket's premier event. In 45 matches across 6 editions of the World Cup, Tendulkar scored a whopping 2278 runs at an average of 56.95 including 6 hundreds and 15 fifties.

Be it the emotional hundred that he scored against Kenya at Bristol in the 1999 World Cup just days after losing his father, or his ethereal 98 against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup where he tamed the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar, or his age-defying 120 against England in the 2011 World Cup, Tendulkar has played several classic knocks at cricket’s showpiece event.

In this article, let us look at 4 instances where Tendulkar wad denied a century by a spinner in World Cup cricket.

#4 81(91 balls) vs Zimbabwe (2003 World Cup)

Grant Flower’s left arm spin proved to be his downfall in this game

Sachin Tendulkar displayed his full repertoire of shots against Zimbabwe in this game. Pristine flicks, delightful pulls and cuts, and gorgeous drives were the highlights of this innings.

And Tendulkar was well set for a hundred. But then, when he was batting on 81, Grant Flower’s left-arm spin proved to be his downfall. The ball pitched on middle stump, turned, bounced a little more than Tendulkar expected, and crashed onto his off stump. And, with that, Tendulkar departed, after scoring a near flawless 81.

#3 83(101 balls) vs Kenya (2003 World Cup)

In the semi-final of the 2003 edition, he produced another classic knock against Kenya.

Sachin Tendulkar was in the form of his life in the 2003 World Cup. And, in the semi-final of that edition, he produced another classic knock against Kenya. The Master’s knock propelled India to a competitive 270/4 and allowed them to record a 91-run victory over Kenya.

Tendulkar once again dismantled the opposition with his dexterity. But then, when he was batting on 83, he pulled a short delivery from Kenya’s skipper Steve Tikolo, straight into the hands of deep mid-wicket, and threw away another well-deserved hundred. 

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