On December 18, 1989, a prodigious 16-year-old from Mumbai stepped onto the international stage, marking the beginning of what would become one of the most illustrious careers in cricket history. Sachin Tendulkar made his One Day International (ODI) debut for India against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Jinnah Stadium in Gujranwala.
Little did the world know that this curly-haired teenager, already dubbed a wonderkid after his Test debut a month earlier, would go on to redefine batting in limited-overs cricket and etch his name as the "Master Blaster. "
The Debut: A Humble Start Against a Formidable Attack
The match was the second ODI of a four-game series, with India chasing a target of 88 in a rain-reduced 16-over affair. Tendulkar, batting at No. 6, faced a Pakistani bowling lineup featuring the likes
of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, and a young Waqar Younis making his own mark. Unfortunately, the debut didn't go as scripted - Tendulkar was dismissed for a duck, bowled by Waqar after facing just two balls. Pakistan won by 7 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method, but the day wasn't about the result; it was the quiet introduction of a player who would soon dominate headlines.
Reflecting on that day years later, Tendulkar recalled the nerves and excitement in his autobiography Playing It My Way: "I was extremely nervous. but excited too. It was a dream come true. " This debut came just a month after his Test bow at Karachi, where he scored 15 in a bloodied but brave innings against Pakistan's pace battery - a sign of the resilience that would define his career.
Sachin Tendulkar ODI Stats
Tendulkar's ODI journey spanned 23 years, from that fateful day in 1989 to his final appearance on March 18, 2012, again against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. Over 463 matches, he amassed a staggering 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83, with a strike rate of 86.24 - figures that remain benchmarks for aspiring batsmen. His haul includes 49 centuries (a record that stood unchallenged for years) and 96 half-centuries, making him the highest run-scorer in ODI history.
