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When Sachin Tendulkar wanted an 'easy spell' from Pakistan's ace spinner Saeed Ajmal

Mumbai - 'This is a charity match and funds have to be collected - so enjoy the match'

Imagine ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar urging Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who had already dismissed four top players from a rival team in his opening spell, to take it easy and not play the match too seriously.

According to Saeed that is exactly what Sachin did at the Lord’s, way back in July 2014. “It was a friendly MCC match and a player needed to spend a certain time in the middle so that more funds could be collected,” recalled the bowler in an interview on Cricket Pakistan’s YouTube channel. “But when the match started, I picked up four wickets in four overs and Sachin (who was the captain of his team) came running towards me and said 'Saeed bhai you are not supposed play the match too seriously as it's a charity one.”

The spectators had come enjoy, have food and drinks. “The match should not get over before 6.30 but you are hell bent on ending it by 1," Sachin told him. It was a charity match between the Rest of the World XI (RoW XI) and Marylebone Cricket Club. Both Sachin and Saeed were in the MCC XI team.

When Saeed told him he was bowling normally, as he would in front of top players and in a positive manner, Sachin agreed with him. “But this is a charity match and funds have to be collected. So enjoy the match, play cricket and have fun,” the top bastman told him. “And that is what happened," added Saeed.

Sachin then took Saeed off the bowling spell, allowing Yuvraj Singh (who was with the RoW XI) score 132 off 134 balls. But when the MCC XI team came to bat, Sachin scored an unbeaten 181 off just 145 balls, breezing away to glory in 45.5 overs and with seven wickets in hand.