Cricket history is fortunate to have a player like Sachin: Abdul Qadir

Updated on: 03 August,2010 07:02 AM IST |
Abdul Qadir |

I can never forget debutant Sachin Tendulkar walking into bat as a 16-year-old in the Karachi Test of 1989.

I can never forget debutant Sachin Tendulkar walking into bat as a 16-year-old in the Karachi Test of 1989. I was fielding at mid-on as Wasim Akram tested him with pace and movement, Yes, Tendulkar was beaten but the confidence with which he tried to drive the ball was amazing.

Equally memorable was the three sixes he hit off me in a truncated game in Peshawar on the same tour. No batsman had hit me for three sixes in an over. Come to think of it, I asked for it. Before the over, I asked the kid if he could hit me over the ropes. 'Yes', he said and went out and did it.

One could see his tremendous talent in 1989. When we met a couple of years later, he was well established and I remember telling him that he would be a very influential batsman. We talk often about how cricket history is filled with great players. I say cricket history is fortunate to have a player like Tendulkar.

Many reckon he does justice to 'The Greatest' tag. But we should never forget he is a great human being too.

His humility is well documented and I speak from experience. Whenever we meet, he is full of warmth and genuine respect. He makes people feel good. To be able to do that too is an achievement. Yes, Sachin Tendulkar is an achiever in every sense.

As told to Majid Bhatti

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