Sachin Tendulkar rolled back the years with a sensational fifty, but his lone brilliance was not enough to prevent India Masters from suffering a crushing 95-run defeat against Australia Masters in the International Masters League clash at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Wednesday.
A packed stadium witnessed a throwback Tendulkar masterclass, but the Indian legend’s valiant 64 off just 33 balls could not rescue his side as Australia Masters, powered by stunning centuries from Shane Watson and Ben Dunk, secured their first win of the tournament.
Tendulkar evoked memories of his iconic Desert Storm innings in Sharjah, delighting the crowd with his trademark late cuts, straight drives, and fearless aggression. His fifty came off just 27 deliveries, raising hopes of an improbable chase after Australia had posted a colossal 269/1.
Tendulkar’s fireworks, which included seven fours and four sixes, helped India Masters reach 100/3 at the halfway mark. However, his dismissal — caught by Xavier Doherty off Daniel Christian — left a massive void in the chase.
Yusuf Pathan tried to keep the fight alive with a quickfire 25 off 15 balls, but with the asking rate soaring, India’s lower order crumbled under pressure. Xavier Doherty was the star with the ball for Australia, scalping the first five-wicket haul of the tournament with figures of 5/25, ensuring India Masters’ unbeaten run came to an end.
Earlier, the day belonged to Australia’s opening duo of Watson and Dunk, who put on a breathtaking display of power-hitting. After the early loss of Shaun Marsh, who started with three consecutive boundaries, Watson and Dunk combined for a record-breaking 236-run unbeaten partnership for the second wicket — the highest in T20 history for that position.
Watson, dropped on one by wicketkeeper Naman Ojha, made the most of his reprieve. The former Aussie all-rounder smashed a 47-ball hundred, blending clean hitting with intelligent strike rotation. His innings of 110 off 52 balls featured 12 boundaries and seven sixes.
Dunk, equally destructive, overshadowed his skipper by registering the fastest century of the tournament, reaching the milestone in just 43 balls. His 132-run blitz off 53 deliveries included 12 fours and 10 massive sixes, leaving the Indian bowlers helpless.
The carnage left India Masters needing a miracle chase, and despite Tendulkar’s heroics, the target proved too steep.
With both teams now headed for the knockout stages, the result serves as a reminder that the Australia Masters, powered by their experienced stars, remain a formidable force in the competition.
Result:
Australia Masters 269/1 (Shane Watson 110*, Ben Dunk 132*) beat India Masters 174 all out (Sachin Tendulkar 64, Xavier Doherty 5/25) by 95 runs.
