Statue of India batting great Sachin Tendulkar unveiled at Mumbai stadium during Cricket World Cup
Statue of India batting great Sachin Tendulkar unveiled at Mumbai stadium during Cricket World Cup
A statue of former Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar, is seen during its inauguration at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Former Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar, third left, front, stands during the inauguration of his statue at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Indian Cricketer and ICC World Cup 2023 global ambassador Sachin Tendulkar walks out with the Men’s Cricket World Cup Trophy before the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup opening match between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
A statue of former Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar, is seen during its inauguration at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
A statue of former Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar, is seen during its inauguration at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Former Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar, third left, front, stands during the inauguration of his statue at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Former Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar, third left, front, stands during the inauguration of his statue at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Indian Cricketer and ICC World Cup 2023 global ambassador Sachin Tendulkar walks out with the Men’s Cricket World Cup Trophy before the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup opening match between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Indian Cricketer and ICC World Cup 2023 global ambassador Sachin Tendulkar walks out with the Men’s Cricket World Cup Trophy before the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup opening match between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
MUMBAI, India (AP) — Sachin Tendulkar said he was “truly humbled” as a statue of the India batting great was unveiled Wednesday at his home ground — Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium — during the Cricket World Cup.
The statue shows Tendulkar with his bat held high after a lofted drive. It was unveiled in front of the Sachin Tendulkar Stand at the same venue where second-place India faces Sri Lanka on Thursday in a rematch of the 2011 World Cup final won by India.
“I am truly humbled when I stand here. I go to this ground – there are thousands of images that come to my head and thoughts, so many incredible memories,” said Tendulkar, who also received a replica of the statue. “It is truly an honor to walk on this turf which has given me everything in life.”
The statue was inaugurated by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde. Mumbai, where Tendulkar was born and bred on a steady diet of cricket, is the state capital of Maharashtra.
Tendulkar finished his illustrious career at the Wankhede, playing his 200th and final test against West Indies in 2013. He scored a career total of 15,921 runs along with 51 hundreds – both of them all-time test records.
He also hit 49 hundreds in 463 ODIs for India, finishing with 18,426 runs – also all-time records. He is the only batsman to score 100 centuries in international cricket.
Tendulkar’s career-crowning moment came at the Wankhede where he was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team against Sri Lanka, a victory which Tendulkar called “the proudest moment of my life.” It was India’s second title after winning in 1983, a moment that inspired Tendulkar to take up cricket seriously.
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