New Delhi [India] March 21 (ANI): Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has said that 2007 World Cup was disappointing as India could not go beyond the group stage and recalled lifting the trophy four years later, stating that the moment made all the struggles worth it.

'The 2007 World Cup was extremely disappointing, we had a strong team, and I believed we could do well. But getting knocked out in the group stage was heartbreaking. I remember sitting in the dressing room, trying to process what had happened. It was tough. But then, it became a turning point. We worked harder, and four years later, we lifted the trophy in 2011. That moment made all the struggles worth it.' Sachin tendulkar told Boria Majumdar on 'Backstage with Boria' season six.

'It was a dream come true. We had come so close in the past, and finally, holding that trophy was magical. The moment I saw my teammates lift me on their shoulders and chant my name at Wankhede, I felt like my entire cricketing journey had come full circle. It was not just my dream--it was the dream of every Indian, and I was just grateful to be a part of that history,' Tendulkar added.

Tendulkar still holds the records for the most runs in Test and One-Day Internationals (ODIs), along with the unique achievement of scoring 100 international centuries.

Renowned for his exceptional skills and mastery of cricket, he entertained fans across the globe from 1989 to 2013. The Maharashtra-born cricketer made his Test debut on November 15, 1989, at just 16. He played his first ODI on December 18 the same year. Across 664 international appearances, he scored 34,357 runs at an average of 48.52.

Tendulkar became the first cricketer to achieve a double century in ODIs. In ODIs, he gathered 18,426 runs with an average of 44. 83, which includes 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries.

In Tests, he scored 15,921 runs at an average of 53.78, featuring 51 centuries and 68 fifties. (ANI)