Sachin Tendulkar thanks fans after winning Crossword Book Awards

Iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar reached out to his fans after his autobiography 'Playing It My Way' won the Raymond Crossword Popular Award in the biography category.

Speaking on the win, Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday said: "I cannot thank my fans enough for being part of my journey while I was playing, and during my life's second innings, their support continues to be invaluable. 'Playing It My Way' captured my journey in the cricketing world and life outside cricket."

'Playing It My Way' entered The Limca Book of Records earlier this year for being the bestselling adult hardback across both fiction and non-fiction categories on the first day of sale.

In the biography category, 'Playing it My Way' was competing with 'MSD: The Man, The Leader' by Biswadeep Ghosh (Rupa), 'Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India's First Superstar' by Yasser Usman (Penguin), 'Born Again on the Mountain: A Story of Losing Everything and Finding It Back' by Arunima Sinha (Penguin India) and 'Being Salman' by Jasim Khan (Penguin).

Master blaster thanking his publisher Hachette and co-author, Boria Majumdar, said: "I'm delighted to know that the book has won the Popular Choice Award at the 14th Raymond Crossword Book Awards. I want to thank my publisher Hachette India and Boria Majumdar for doing such a fantastic job and making this book something that's forever etched in the mind of its readers."

The success of 'Playing it My Way', the largest selling nonfiction hardback in the history of Indian publishing, is testament to Sachin Tendulkar's enduring appeal to his devoted fans.

"I am delighted and honoured," said Boria Majumdar, who co-authored the book with Tendulkar.

"This award is a benchmark in Indian publishing for years now and it is a tribute to Sachin and his legion of fans and the love and affection they have showered on him and continue to do so even after retirement," Majumdar added.