'Don't know whether Imran Khan remembers this': When Sachin Tendulkar revealed playing for Pakistan as a 14-year-old

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Sachin Tendulkar made his India debut in 1989 as a 16-year-old, but his first taste of playing with international cricketers came two years before in 1987 during an exhibiting match between India and Pakistan in Mumbai.

On 20th January 1987, an exhibition cricket match was played between India and Pakistan at the Cricket Club of India's 50th-year celebration at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium. It was a 40 over match where a 14 year old Sachin Tendulkar fielded for Pakistan for almost 25 minutes.

When Pakistan cricketers Javed Miandad and Abdul Qadir left the field during the lunch break, Sachin Tendulkar was one of two local cricketers asked to field for the visiting team which was being led by Imran Khan.

Sachin Tendulkar in his autobiography 'Playing It My Way’, has wondered if Imran Khan remembers asking him to field at the long-on position. In that match, Sachin nearly caught former India captain Kapil Dev out in the match.

The 'Master Blaster', who went on to become the highest run-scorer in ODI and Test cricket, has written that he would have helped Pakistan with a wicket if he was fielding at mid-on instead.

“I don’t know whether Imran Khan remembers this or has any idea that I once fielded for his Pakistan team,” Sachin wrote in his autobiography 'Playing It My Way’.

Tendulkar made his India debut against Pakistan in a Test match at the National Stadium in Karachi. Playing under Kris Srikkanth, Tendulkar scored 15 runs in the first innings against Imran Khan-led Pakistan. He did not get an opportunity to bat in the second innings as the match ended in a draw.