Wasim Akram recalls story of how he and Mushtaq plotted to get Sachin Tendulkar out in iconic 1999′ Chennai Test

Team India needed just 17 runs to defeat bitter rivals Pakistan, with the help of their captain and famous bowler Wasim Akram, in the first Test match of the 1999 series in Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. India was widely favoured to defeat Pakistan at Chennai with the ‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar batting on 136.

Tendulkar was in fine form and was on the verge of winning the match for India when he scooped two consecutive boundaries of Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq. Wasim Akram now revealed what advice he gave to the off-spinner which helped Pakistan claim victory in that epic test in Chennai.

What did Akram talk to Mushtaq to get the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar?

Akram while talking to Sportstar revealed how well Sachin was batting in the second innings and how he played their main spinner. He said, “The Chennai Test is very special to me… It was very hot and the pitch was bare, which suited us because we relied on reverse-swing. We also had one of the best spinners at the time in Saqlain Mushtaq. Nobody could pick the doosra delivery that he had invented at the time. Sachin Tendulkar played him well after the first innings. Every time he bowled the doosra, Sachin went for the lap shot just behind the keeper. A very odd shot to play against the off-spinners’ doosra but he mastered it and that’s why Sachin was one of the greatest of all time.” 

The fast bowler then spoke about the words of advice which he gave to Mushtaq that helped them get Sachin’s wicket. He said, “I remember how close the game was. They [India] needed 20-odd to win, the great man [Tendulkar] was batting on 136 and I remember talking to Saqlain just one ball earlier. Every fielder was on the boundary, Sachin was facing and I told Saqlain to bowl his doosra outside off-stump and give it some air as Sachin would probably try to hit it through midwicket. That’s exactly what happened. He went for a six through midwicket, top-edged it and I kept repeating to myself ‘balance, eye on the ball, balance’ as I got under the ball.”