In Coca-Cola Champions Trophy tri-series 1998 at Sharjah, Sri Lanka having already been knocked out of the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy, in a way ensured that India and Zimbabwe faced off in an inconsequential match before the final.
In that match, Henry Olonga of Zimbabwe cricket team bowler with pace and passion, worrying all Indian batsmen during their chase of 206, resulting with figures of 4/46. His four wickets included the Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar who, shocked by Olonga’s pace,fell to the pacer playing an unusual shot.
The dismissal of Sachin caused cheerful celebration from Olonga which Sachin Tendulkar didn’t find entertaining – What would have affected him more was that India eventually got quickly out for 192, handing Zimbabwe an unlikely win.
As India took on Zimbabwe in the final of coca-cola champions trophy, it was already being touted as a fight between Tendulkar and Olonga. And the Little Master did not break to deliver when he came out to chase down Zimbabwe’s modest target of 196.
Olonga tried to outplay the batsman of India by using his raw pace, but he finally came to giving too much room outside off. Sachin in return, punished him by playing square-drives and ferocious cuts. Whenever Olonga tried bowling full, Sachin did not delay to take the aerial route, lifting him for maximums over mid-off. Little master eventually brought on his 21st ODI century in that match, scoring 124 off 92 balls.
Sachin’s partner at the other end, Sourav Ganguly hit three elevated sixes that ended up on the roof of the stadium. He scored unbeaten on 63 off 90 balls as India chased down the target easily in 30 overs with all ten wickets to spare.
Figures of Olonga took a battering and he completed with match figures of 50 runs from 6 overs- a stark contrast to what he was allowed to achieve a some days before.
