98 days to go: Relive Sachin Tendulkar’s innings against Pakistan in 2003 World Cup

Fast and wide outside the off-stump, dispatched over the third man boundary. It was one of the first upper cuts witnessed in ODI cricket when Sachin Tendulkar dispatched Shoaib Akhtar’s short ball for a six. Sachin’s knock of 98 runs against Pakistan at Centurion during the 2003 World Cup remains one of the batting maestro's greatest World Cup knocks.

Chasing a target of 274, the little master opened the innings along with the attacking Virender Sehwag. He showed his intention in the very first over of the innings when he spanked a Wasim Akram delivery that was just outside the off stump, for a back foot push through the cover boundary.

Akhtar entered in the very next over with a lot of expectations, sharing the new-ball with Akram. Sachin made it clear in the very second over of the game, that he was in to treat the fans with some remarkable shots. The fourth ball from Akhtar was latched onto by Sachin and skied over the third man boundary.

For the very next ball, all eyes were on Rawalpindi Express, as he was known for making strong comebacks, but it wasn’t to be Akhtar's day. Sachin got the ball on his pads and he flicked it with delight and the ball went past the square leg boundary in no time.

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Sachin timed the last ball of the over to perfection, straight on the on-side past the desperate attempt by Waqar Younis, finishing off a superb over for India with a boundary.  India raced to 27/0 from two overs.

Tendulkar milked runs off all the Pakistani bowlers and hit some glorious shots in his innings that consisted of 12 fours and one six. Just when the Mumbaikar was all set to get to his hundred, a mentally wounded Shoaib Akhtar directed a short ball into Sachin's body and got an edge that flew in Younis Khan’s hands at point.

Sachin was out on 98 runs but he had got India into a commanding position to keep the record of wins against Pakistan in World Cup matches intact.

India won the match by six wickets with 26 balls to spare as Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid finished it for the ‘Men in Blue’.

Incidentally, the batting maestro went past 12,000 ODI runs during this innings. He is the highest run-getter in World Cup matches with 2278 runs in 45 matches at an average of 56.95.