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By T.V. Antony Raj

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‘I hate you Sachin, you are making millions cry, don’t go,‘ stated a placard at the ground.

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As a 16-year-old cricketer, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar made headlines on November 15, 1989, for being the third youngest Test debutante by playing against Pakistan. On October 10, 2013, the 40-year-old cricketer known to his ardent fans as “God of Cricket” announced his retirement ending a blazing 24-year career.

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The 200th and last Test Match for Sachin Tendulkar began yesterday, November 14, 2013, at his home ground, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Before the start of the Second Test between India and West Indies, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) honoured Sachin Tendulkar by presenting him with a trophy.

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India’s skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni tossed a specially crafted gold coin with Sachin’s image on one side and the MCA’s logo on the other as West Indies skipper Darren Sammy called. Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl first disappointing Sachin’s fans.

Sachin received the gold toss coin as a memento as he plays his 200th and last Test match of his 24 years career. Select dignitaries will receive 1000 replicas of the coin at the stadium.

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After the toss, the Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal released the commemorative postage stamps to pay tribute to the prodigious cricketer. Union Minister Sharad Pawar, Rajeev Shukla and Milind Murli Deora also joined in releasing the postage stamp honouring Tendulkar. After Mother Teresa, the 40-year old legend is the second person to have a postage stamp released after him, when still alive.

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Great cricket stalwarts of yesteryear such as Clive Lloyd, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarksr, Ravi Shashtri, Wasim Akram greeted Sachin Tendulkar, walked on to the field with the rest of the Indian team to field against the West Indies.

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Union ministers Kabil Sibal, Sharad Pawar, Milind Murli Deora, Rahul Gandhi, actors Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and many other VIPs, were seen at the stadium yesterday and today along with the ever-roaring die-hard fans including Sachin’s mother, his daughter Sara and son Arjun.

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The West Indies were bowled out for 182 in their first innings. Pragyan Ojha took a five-wicket haul.

At the third session of day’s play, Darren Sammy opened the bowling for the visitors, and Murali Vijay took the strike.

At 13.2 overs, when the score was 77, Shikhar Dhawan was caught by Shivnarine Chanderpaul to Shane Shillingford bowling after scoring 33 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara walked into bat. Four balls later Murali Vijay fell to Shillingford for 43.

At the fall of the second Indian wicket the loud cheer from the live audience at Wankhade Stadium and Sachin’s fans around the globe glued to the TVs in their homes and offices, invariably welcomed Sachin. Coming on to bat as number 4 has been Sachin’s cherished batting position.

In 1948, while playing in his last Test innings at the Oval, Sir Don Bradman’s eyes became moist and he failed to spot Eric Hollies’ googly. He got out for a duck. Luckily, Sachin Tendulkar has escaped from that type of predicament for at the end of the first day’s play Sachin had scored 38 runs from 73 balls.

Cheteshwar Pujara scored 34 runs from 49 balls. At the end of the first day’s play India after facing 34 overs had scored 157 runs for the loss of two wickets. In the Indian dressing room Bhuvneshwar Kumar padded up as the nightwatchman removed his gear.

Here are some of the tweets from cricketers all around the world who paid their tribute to Sachin:

• Alan Wilkins tweets: This is a Test Match like no other! Let Sachin enjoy it as much as he can…this is a celebration of the greatest Cricket Career of all time.

• Ian Bell tweets: The atmosphere in Mumbai right now must be immense!! #ThankYouSachin #LittleMaster

• Joe Root tweets: Sachin made his debut for India before I was born. Then played in my test debut #ThankYouSachin

• Mahela Jayawardena tweets: @sachin_rt Great opponent, fantastic memories..no better role model. Enjoy ur last game!

• Matthew Hayden tweets: @bhogleharsha @alanwilkins22 Sachin…..Sachin #Legend please pass on my respects during your commentary in Honour to Tendulkar #whataplayer

• Michael Vaughan tweets: 38 no… #Sachin. #God. Alarm clock will be set…..

• Russel Arnold tweets: Good luck to Sachin today…. Hope he dishes out a treat for his mother!!! #IndvsWI

• Shane Warne tweets: @warne888 #Sachin was the best batsmen I’ve seen. @brianlara second and outstanding too. These 2 were so much better than everybody else….

• Stuart Broad tweets: Remarkable achievement by a legend of the sport we love. #200 #ThankYouSachin

Tweets from Indian cricketers:

• Dinesh Karthik tweets: Wishing Sachin paji a grt test match,will be watching it only for the legend #ThankYouSachin

• Rohit Sharma tweets: I can never retire from Sachin. #SRTFOREVER

• Suresh Raina tweets: No matter how many times u say it, still feels less. The greatest ever. The Legend. Wonderful to say #SalaamSachin

Today, morning, a very relaxed and calm Sachin Tendulkar walked on to the field with Cheteshwar Pujara. The play started with Pujara facing Best.

Tendulkar hit a four off Best’s last ball in the 39th over (38.5) to reach his 68th Test fifty. It was also, his 10th against West Indies. Pujara reached his 4th Test fifty getting one run off a ball from for Gabriel.

Last ball of the 48th over (47.5) off the relatively new bowler Narsingh Deonarine proved fatal for Sachin Tendulkar.

“Deonarine to Tendulkar, out Caught by Sammy!! No, no, no, Tendulkar, no, no, no. How many times have we seen a relatively new bowler get his wicket. It is that man Sammy again taking another blinder. I tell you what, it was not an easy catch at all. Flatter delivery outside off stump, Tendulkar looks to cut late and gets a thick outside edge, the ball flies quickly off, and Sammy leans back and takes a wonderful catch. The entire ground is stunned. He gets a standing ovation as some are in tears. Wife Anjali cannot believe that he’s been dismissed and so can I. He was batting so beautifully, unfortunately, the treat has come to an end. Thank you Master for all that you’ve done. “

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Tendulkar c Sammy b Deonarine 74(118) [4s-12] and Virat Kohli, right handed bat, came to the crease.

With his 68th half-century, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (born April 24, 1973) may well be concluding his long and spectacular cricketing career.

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