Viru slams his way to ODI pinnacle
Demolition man
It had taken 2,962 one-day internationals and close to 40 years to witness the first double century in the 50-over format when the irrepressible Sachin Tendulkar struck an unbeaten 200 on February 24, 2010 against South Africa in Gwalior.
Less than two years after that momentous day, Virender Sehwag slammed a blistering 219 (149b, 25x4, 7x6) here at the Holkar Stadium to eclipse the Mumbai maestro as the holder of the highest individual score in one-dayers. Sehwag’s innings, around which India built their humungous 418 for five, knocked the stuffing out of the West Indies as the hosts sealed the five-match series with the Chennai tie to spare on Sunday.
India won the match by 153 runs, bundling out West Indies for 265 runs. Given his style of play, and the fact that he is the only Indian batsman to have a 300-plus score against his name in Tests (in fact he has two triple tons), a double in the shorter version was, perhaps, long due. However, coming on the back of a poor run of scores into the fourth match, few would have bet on the Delhi dasher to script such a magnificent piece of history on a bright Thursday. But then logic and Sehwag have never gone hand in hand.
On a belter of a surface, the stand-in skipper took an erratic Windies’ attack apart with an array of breathtaking strokes which were essayed in his typical nonchalant style. It was like watching highlights package as the ball kept disappearing into the pickets with stunning regularity.
There were audacious lofted drives, cheeky uppercuts and wristy flicks off the pads as the visitors went on a leather hunt for almost the duration of the Indian innings before his tired-looking heave off Kieron Pollard put an end to his blazing stay.
Sehwag’s heart might have been in his mouth when his miscued stroke ballooned to Darren Sammy at covers when the batsman was on 170. Much to his relief and to the joy of a jam-packed stadium, the West Indian skipper grassed the sitter paving the way for a historic moment.
