The 2011 World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan was one of the most thrilling encounters in World Cup history, as the Men in Blue maintained their 100% record against their arch-rivals in the World Cup.
Also, India went on to eventually lift the cup a couple of days later against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Six years have passed since that memorable day in Mohali but former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal who was part of the Pakistan playing XI on that day still can’t fathom out how their premier batsman Sachin Tendulkar was given not out despite being struck plumb in front. Ajmal recently called it quits from all forms of cricket after Faisalabad lost to Lahore in the Final of the National T20 Championship on Wednesday.
Tendulkar who was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his innings of 85 struggled all way through the innings and failed to read the variations of Ajmal. Tendulkar was batting on 23 when he was struck adjacent to the stumps by a quicker delivery from Ajmal. Naked eyes suggested that the ball would have crashed on to the stumps, but after talks with his partner Gautam Gambhir, Tendulkar went for the review.
To the surprise of many, the replays showed the ball would have missed the leg stumps by a whisker which gave Tendulkar a life. He went on to make amends and scored 85, but it was one of his scratchiest innings he had ever played. Ajmal was perplexed with the decision of the on-field umpire Ian Gould getting overturned, and still today he has no answer that how Tendulkar was given not out. It could have been a technical blip.
“I was totally convinced I had him in front of the stumps, but how the umpires didn’t give him out I still can’t understand,” Ajmal said.
He further conceded bowling to the star-studded Indian batting line-up during those days spurred him up.
“It was always a test of skills and nerves when bowling to Tendulkar and company,” he said.
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