On this day: Remembering Sachin Tendulkar's first ODI century against Australia

09/09/2016

In an illustrious career spanning across 24 years, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar marked the beginning of his domination over bowlers with his maiden ODI century against Australia on September 9, 1994. The little master made 110 off 132 balls in the match which India would go on to win by 31 runs.

Hundred 100s – a feat which was deemed impossible in world cricket—bowed down to Sachin Tendulkar's brilliance, which he achieved by scoring 49 ODI hundreds and 51 Test tons. The first of those tons arrived on September 9, 1994, when Tendulkar made his first limited overs century after a long wait of 78 One-Day Internationals facing one of the most fearsome bowling attacks in the Singer World Series against Australia in Colombo.

Opening the innings for the Mohammad Azharuddin-led side, the then 21-year old Sachin Tendulkar took on the Australian bowling attack, consisting of the likes of Craig McDermott, Shane Warne, and Glenn McGrath, with relative ease and launched a brilliant onslaught in the opening hour. India reached their hundred mark in the 18th over as a result of this, and the young Tendulkar raced to his fifty after facing just 43 balls.

The Master Blaster scored his 110 in 132 balls, taking India to a total of 246/8 in 50 overs. Later, the Indian bowlers were able to restrict the Aussies for 215, winning the match by 31 runs. India also won the tournament by winning the final against hosts Sri Lanka, but the memory of Sachin Tendulkar's first ton remains etched in the memory of every cricket lover as he later went on to play many such memorable innings in a career spanning across 463 One-Day Internationals, as he ended up scoring 18,426 runs which includes 49 hundreds and 96 fifties.

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