Sachin Tendulkar played for Pakistan before making his international debut for India

Sachin Tendulkar (File Photo)

Sachin Tendulkar making his official international cricket debut in 1989 against Pakistan is a fact well known by cricket fans all over the world. But according to his recently released autobiography ‘Playing It My Way’, that wasn’t the first time the young prodigy had a taste of playing with international cricketers.

Just 2 years earlier, in 1987, a 14-year-old Tendulkar had come on to field for a Pakistan team that was playing a festival match against India in Mumbai. The Indian great wonders in his book if then Pakistan captain Imran Khan remembers employing him in the field.

"I don't know whether Imran Khan remembers this or has any idea that I once fielded for his Pakistan team," writes Tendulkar.

The Mumbaikar further recalls that Pakistan cricketers Javed Miandad and Abdul Qadir had left the field during the lunch break, after which he was one of two local lads asked to field for the visiting team.

Tendulkar also writes on how he nearly caught Kapil Dev out in the match, but couldn’t get to the ball despite running a long way. He notes that if he had been placed at mid-on rather than long-on, he could have taken part in a dismissal for Pakistan.