New Delhi, Apr 23 (IANS): Ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday paid tribute to batting great Sachin Tendulkar on the eve of the latter's 47th birthday. In an Instagram live session, Ashwin said that his father had woken up late in the night which is how he saw Tendulkar's famous "Desert Storm" innings against Australia in Sharjah in 1998.

"My father woke me up in the middle of the night saying that there is something special happening," said Ashwin.

"I woke up and then I saw first it was a sandstorm and then Sachin just took us to the final."

India required 254 to seal a place in the Coca Cola Cup final as it would have helped them beat New Zealand's net run rate. Things became a bit trickier for India as a sand storm erupted and the match was halted for some time.

India's revised target after the break was set at 276 in 46 overs or 237 in 46 overs for a place in the final. Tendulkar took note of the revised numbers and conjured a boundary-laden storm of his own in the middle of the iconic stadium.

Tendulkar single-handedly powered India into the final with his astonishing 131-ball 143 at Sharjah.

"So from watching cricket just for him, feeling the jitters whenever he played to actually playing with him, it has been incredible," said Ashwin.