Mumbai | The 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai in 2008 left a deep impact on many people including cricketers. The series between India and England had to be abruptly called off following the terrorist attack, England decided to return home and also postponed the inaugural edition of the Champions League T20 tournament. However, the England cricket team was brave enough to soon return to India for a two-Test series in Chennai and Mohali. In the first Test in Chennai, Sachin Tendulkar scored one of his finest centuries. The MS Dhoni-led side created history by chasing 387 runs in the fourth innings. Tendulkar played a brilliant innings of 103 runs. He remained unbeaten at the crease and even scored the winning runs. ( sachin tribute to 26/11)
As the Master Blaster @sachin_rt turns 47, we relive one of his glorious knocks against England in 2008.
He dedicated this ton – 41st in Test cricket, to the victims of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
Here’s wishing the legend a very happy birthday #HappyBirthdaySachin pic.twitter.com/dgBdlbCtU7
— BCCI (@BCCI) April 23, 2020
also read: Australian Test team’s burden on Pat Cummins’ shoulders, bowler became captain in 65-year history
The names of the victims who did their century
This was followed by an unprecedented sight when the ground staff at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai reached the ground to express their gratitude to Tendulkar. In a post-match interview in Chennai, an emotional Tendulkar scored his century for the victims of the 26/11 terror attack. The great Indian batsman said that what happened in Mumbai was extremely unfortunate. Whatever happened, cricket cannot reduce it. The century will give some amount of happiness to the people. I thank those who stood up against the terrorists and ensured that they were either captured or shot. Because there were many terrorists. I salute the NSG commandos, Taj Hotel staff, police, public and all.
Tendulkar gets emotional while visiting England team ( sachin tribute to 26/11)
Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison, who played Test matches, revealed in his autobiography that Tendulkar was in tears after the match. In his book Speed Demons, Harmison wrote that the loss in Chennai was the only Test defeat of my career that I did not worry much about. I’m not sure even a screenwriter could have come up with what happened. Sachin Tendulkar, the great Indian hero, was running after scoring a century and the winning run at the same time. Harmison revealed that Tendulkar had visited the English dressing room after the match and thanked him for coming back to India. He was in tears thanking us in the dressing room. What this meant for him, the great sons of Mumbai were everything, and that’s why he was so grateful that we went back. It was as if it was written in the stars that it should be taken out like this. For him in our dressing room and thanking us was very touching, very polite. (sachin tribute to 26/11)
