ICC World Cup 2023: When Tendulkar failed to score century against Pakistan in 2011

Sachin Tendulkar (Pic: AFP)

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag revealed a conversation he shared with iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar after the 'Master Blaster' failed to score a century against Pakistan in the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup.

Sachin opened with Sehwag and played a magnificent knock of 85 before being dimissed by right-arm off-break spinner Saeed Ajmal. Sehwag, who was sitting in the dugout, smiled at Sachin after he returned and Sachin passed a smile to him as well.

Sehwag went on to talk about the conversation they had after this in a press conference and said, "Sachin told me I know why you are smiling, I asked why. He said you are thinking that I got out before making a century, if I scored the ton, we would have lost. I said to him, how can you read what is in my heart, you made two centuries one we lost and the second got tied. Thank God, he didn't make a hundred and we were able to win the World Cup. (sic)"

India will be keen to replicate the triumph of the 2011 World Cup with the ICC World Cup 2023 once again being held in India.

Also Read: Is India's demolition of Australia a sign of things to come?

Three days after the 'Men in Blue' kicked off their campaign with a hard-fought victory against against Australia, captain Rohit Sharma surpassed compatriot Sachin Tendulkar with a record seventh World Cup century to lead India to a crushing eight-wicket win over Afghanistan.

Chasing 273 for victory in New Delhi, the hosts rode on Rohit's 131 to achieve their target in 35 overs for a second straight win in the 50-over showpiece event. He brought the nearly packed house to its feet with his century off 63 balls to go past Tendulkar's record of six tons in World Cups. The dashing opener hit 16 fours and five sixes in his 84-ball knock before being bowled by leg-spinner Rashid Khan. His opening partnership of 156 with the left-handed Ishan Kishan, who made 47, extended the team's dominance after a good bowling show on a batting-friendly pitch.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Suryakumar Yadav and Shardul Thakur

(With inputs from agencies)