Sachin Tendulkar hits 100th century

“Enjoy the game and chase your dreams,” that’s the message that Sachin Tendulkar the legend had for his fans and followers after scoring his historic hundredth ton this afternoon.

“Don’t stop chasing your dreams, because dreams do come true,” he said. “Dreams do come true – I had to wait for mine to come true for 22 years. We [India] won the World Cup after 22 years, but they do come true,” Tendulkar said after scoring his 100th ton against Bangladesh in Asia Cup on Friday.

Click here to read Tendulkar's top five centuries

“It doesn’t matter how many hundreds you score, you still have to go through the grind, put your head down and score for the team,” the Little Master added.

Cricketing history was made today in Bangladesh when India’s Little Master, Sachin Tendulkar, surpassed a huge milestone, scoring his 100th ton against Bangladesh in Asia Cup on Friday.

The 38-year-old Indian stroked a single off left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan to reach the landmark. He has scored 51 centuries in tests and 49 in one-day internationals.

Click here to read little known facts about Sachin Tendulkar

The little master achieved this feat on 138 balls. Incidentally, this is Tendulkar's first ODI hundred against Bangladesh.

Tendulkar said: "It's been a tough phase for me. I started off the season batting reasonably well, I was luckless. I was not thinking about the milestone, the media started all this, where ever I went, the restaurant, room service, everyone was talking about the 100th hundred. Nobody talked about my 99 hundreds.

“It was slightly different, the ball was not coming onto the bat. It hasn't sunk in but I've definitely lost about 50 kilos. Dreams do come true. I had to wait for one for 22 years.”

Tendulkar hit 10 boundaries and one six on the way to his hundred, which he reached off 138 deliveries on an easy-paced pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

The celebrations for his much-awaited target was muted and Tendulkar looked more relieved than elated after completing the 100th run.

He stood at the non-striker's end looking at his bat for a moment before thanking the heavens. He then raised his helmet towards the crowd, planted a kiss on the Indian cricket logo and hugged by team mate Suresh Raina.

Click here to read sporting records that are unlikely to be broken

It took the greatest accumulator of runs in international cricket more than a year to score his coveted hundred after he reached 99 centuries with his 111 against South Africa in the World Cup in Nagpur on March 12 last year.

Tendulkar was finally out for 114 off 147 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and a six.

Tendulkar has gone a full year without a three-figure knock since scoring his 99th ton in a World Cup match against South Africa in Nagpur on March 12, 2011.

Earlier, Tendulkar and Virat Kohli had built up a strong partnership for India. Kohli, who is in top form, was bowled by Abdur Razzak after scoring 66 runs. Suresh Raina is on the crease with Tendulkar.

India had lost its first wicket at 25 runs after opener Gautam Gambhir was bowled by Shafiul Islam. Gambhir scored 11 runs off 16 balls including a shot to the boundary.

Earlier, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim elected to field after winning the toss against India in the Asia Cup one-day tournament in Dhaka on Friday.

Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir had opened the inning for India against Bangladesh.

India, who beat Sri Lanka by 50 runs in their opening match, need a win to qualify for the final.

Pakistan arehave virtually assured of a place after beating Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in their opening two games.

Leading century-makers

Total Name/country Tests One-dayers Twenty20

100 - Sachin Tendulkar (IND) 51 49 -

71 - Ricky Ponting (AUS) 41 30 -

59 - Jacques Kallis (RSA) 42 17 -

53 - Brian Lara (WIS) 34 19 -

48 - Rahul Dravid (IND) 36 12 -

45 - Mahela Jayawardene (SRI) 29 15 1

42 - Sanath Jayasuriya (SRI) 14 28 -

41 - Kumar Sangakkara (SRI) 28 13 -

40 - Matthew Hayden (AUS) 30 10 -

39 - Mohammad Yousuf (PAK) 24 15 -

38 - Mark Waugh (AUS) 20 18 -

38 - Sourav Ganguly (IND) 16 22 -

(Tendulkar, Ponting, Kallis, Jayawardene and Sangakkara are the only ones in the list still playing international cricket.)

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.