Tendulkar dedicates match-winning ton to Raj Singh Dungarpur

Mumbai:

Senior Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday dedicated his match-winning hundred against Sri Lanka in the tri-series final to former BCCI chief Raj Singh Dungarpur, who died on Saturday.

"(I) would like to dedicate this hundred to Mr Raj Singh," Tendulkar said in a short message on Tuesday.

Tendulkar described Dungarpur's death as a terrible loss.

"It's a terrible loss for us to recover from," said the 36-year-old champion batsman who was pitch forked into the international arena at the tender age of 16 by the Dungarpur-led national selection panel in 1989-90.

During his stint as the Cricket Club of India President, Dungarpur bent its rules to allow Tendulkar to use its dressing room as a 14-year-old.

The 73-year-old died following protracted illness on Saturday and was cremated in his home town the next day.

Tendulkar played a fabulous knock of 138, off 133 balls, braving cramps in his leg against hosts Sri Lanka in the tri-series final at the Premadasa Stadium.

His century was the cornerstone around which India built its inning of 319 for five. Off spinner Harbhajan Singh then spun a web of deceit around the host team batsmen to grab five wickets and power India to a comprehensive 46-run victory under lights.

Tendulkar got the man of the match award for his excellent effort in trying conditions in his 428th ODI and also won the man of the series honours. His superbly crafted innings also helped India break a decade-old jinx in the finals on Lankan soil.