The Mumbai Cricket Association is going to give a special gift to Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in the coming days. The association has decided to erect a life-size statue of the 'Master Blaster' inside the iconic Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.
The statue is expected to be unveiled by Tendulkar on his 50th birthday on April 24, 2023. To finalize the location of the statue, Sachin, along with his wife Anjali Tendulkar, visited the iconic stadium today, February 28th.
When asked about the MCA's decision, Tendulkar stated that it is a pleasant surprise for him as his cricketing career started from the Wankhede stadium and he has unforgettable memories attacked with the stadium. "Pleasant surprise. My career started here. It was a journey with unbelievable memories. Best moment of my career came here when we won 2011 World Cup...," he said.
Watch here.
#WATCH | Mumbai: On his life-size statue being erected inside Wankhede stadium by MCA, Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar says, "Pleasant surprise. My career started here. It was a journey with unbelievable memories. Best moment of my career came here when we won 2011 World Cup..." pic.twitter.com/OAHPP7QkSB
— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2023
Amol Kale, the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), also accompanied Tendulkar at the Wankhede stadium.
Sachin Tendulkar was conferred with the prestigious Bharat Ratna in 2014, he is considered as the greatest Indian of all time. The former cricketer compiled more than 35,000 international runs during his cricketing career.
Wankhede is also the stadium where Tendulkar played his final game for India in November 2013 against West Indies.
The stadium already has a stand named after him at the stadium. MCA president Kale stated that he's hoping "the statue will be unveiled during the ODI World Cup in India later this year."