WC 2023: Sachin Tendulkar gets immortalized inside Wankhede stadium as statue unveiled

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was immortalized inside his home ground, Wankhede stadium, as his statue was unveiled on November 1 in Mumbai.

The statue was initially planned to be unveiled earlier in the year, on the occasion of Tendulkar's 50th birthday in April. However, since there were a few finishing touches that needed to be added to the structure and hence, the unveiling was pushed back.

The statue, a tribute to Tendulkar's illustrious career and contribution to Indian cricket, was crafted by Pramod Kamble, a renowned painter-sculptor from Ahmednagar. The sculpture captures Tendulkar in action, playing one of his iconic cricket strokes. It stands adjacent to the Sachin Tendulkar stand within the stadium, a fitting location considering Tendulkar's deep connection with the venue.

The unveiling of the statue was a grand affair, attended by various dignitaries including Maharashtra's chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, BCCI secretary Jay



Shah, treasurer Ashish Shelar, along with officials from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) such as president Amol Kale, secretary Ajinkya Naik, and other members of the apex council.

The stadium was filled with the famous chants of "Sachin, Sachin" as the fans got to witness the statue get finally revealed.

The statue is a towering structure, standing at 22 feet high. It depicts Tendulkar's famous lofted shot off Shane Warne at the Wankhede Stadium.

The unveiling of the statue was timed to coincide with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match between India and Sri Lanka, a repeat of the memorable 2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium. This added an extra layer of significance to the event, as Tendulkar's last World Cup game at the Wankhede Stadium was the 2011 ODI World Cup final against Sri Lanka.

Along with Tendulkar, his wife and Anjali and daughter Sara were also present for the function to see the statue get unveiled inside Wankhede stadium.