In the annals of cricket history, few stories are as surreal as this: two years before his legendary international debut for India, Sachin Tendulkar officially took the field for Pakistan.
On January 20, 1987, during a festival exhibition match at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium, a 13-year-old Tendulkar became an unlikely substitute for Imran Khan’s side—a moment that remains a delightful “what if” in the sport’s greatest rivalry.
The Day Sachin Wore the Green Cap
The match was organized to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Cricket Club of India (CCI). As the game progressed into the lunch break, two Pakistani stars—Javed Miandad and Abdul Qadir—left the field for a breather.
Short on personnel, Pakistan captain Imran Khan approached local coach Hemant Kenkre, asking for youngsters to fill the gaps. Sachin, who was at the stadium as a ball-boy and aspiring prodigy, was told to put on a substitute’s jersey.
Key Highlights of the “Debut”
- The Role: Imran Khan deployed the 13-year-old at long-on, a demanding boundary position.
- The Near-Miss: Indian legend Kapil Dev hit a lofted shot toward the boundary. Sachin sprinted to get under it but narrowly missed the catch.
- The “Complaint”: In his autobiography, Playing It My Way, Sachin joked that if he had been stationed at mid-on instead, he would have “dismissed” Kapil Dev while playing for Pakistan.
Poetic Justice
The irony of the event is not lost on fans. Just two years later, in November 1989, Sachin would make his actual international debut for India in Karachi—facing the same Pakistani team he once helped out in Mumbai.
“I don’t know whether Imran Khan remembers this,” Sachin later wrote, “but I once fielded for his Pakistan team.”
Fast Facts: The 1987 Exhibition
| Detail | Information |
| Venue | Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai |
| Sachin’s Age | 13 Years, 271 Days |
| Pakistan Captain | Imran Khan |
| Indian Captain | Ravi Shastri |
| Match Result | India won by 6 wickets |
