The gifted 25-year-old sent a packed house of 22,000 into raptures with 12 boundaries and six sixes in his unbeaten 124 off 92 balls as India overhauled Zimbabwe's modest 196-9 with 20 overs to spare.
Saurav Ganguly enhanced the quality of the one-sided final with a strokeful 63 not out, including three sixes off Grant Flower that sailed out of the Sharjah stadium. It was India's sixth title in nine one-day series this year during which they played a record 40 internationals, surpassing Pakistan's tally of 39 last year.
The Indians return home with the winner's cheque of 40,000 dollars, alongwith 35,000 dollars for coach Anshuman Gaekwad, who received a benef it purse from the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series, the organisers of cricket in Sharjah.
Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin also received a Mercedes 500 SEL luxury car from a Dubai-based businessman for becoming the leading run-getter in one-day internationals. Tendulkar won the 1,500-dollar award for man of the match and an additional 2,500 dollars as player of the tournament which also featured world champions Sri Lanka.
Tendulkar reserved special attention for paceman Henry Olonga, who dismissed him cheaply with a short rising ball during the match-winning four-wicket burst on Wednesday. Tendulkar took 12 in Olonga's second over, including an amazing six over point, and 17 in his fourth which contained two fours and a six. Olonga was taken off after giving away 41 in his first four overs, but there was little respite for his replacement, leg-spinner Paul Strang. Tendulkar hit two sixes and a four in Strang's first over which produced more drama when a skied mishit was put down by wicket-keeper Andy Flower after he collided with Strang.
Tendulkar raced to his half-century off 28 balls in India's score of 72-0 in the 11th over. Zimbabwe, playing their first major one-day final, appeared overawed by the occasion as Tendulkar and Ganguly carted their bowlers around the field. "First, we did not have enough on the board and then came Sachin to wreck our hopes," said Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell. "There is little a team can do when he is in such flow. We just could not contain him.
"But I was disappointed we did not get a bigger score because this wicket was worth 250 runs," Campbell said. Azharuddin complemented Tendulkar's effort, but stressed the victory was set up by the bowlers. "It was fantastic to keep them down to below 200," he said. "We bowled and fielded exceptionally well, something we have not always done in the past.
"There is little one can say about Sachin except that he takes my breath away everytime he goes to the crease. It's an honour to have the world's best batsman in your team," the Indian captain said. The Indian bowlers helped their team wrest the initiative by restricting Zimbabwe to under four runs an over.
Zimbabwe tumbled to 81-6 after being sent in to bat by Azharuddin before Strang hit a defiant 46 to lend respectability to the score. Strang added 58 for the eighth wicket with Eddo Brandes, the highest partnership of the innings, before being dismissed in the final over. Javagal Srinath was the main wrecker with 3-40, but it was leg-spinner Anil Kumble's steady 2-29 from 10 overs that set Zimbabwe back.