Sehwag goes past Sachin as India plunder 418

INDORE: Virender Sehwag smashed the highest individual score in one-day internationals on Thursday, hitting 219 as India piled on 418-5 in the fourth match of the series against the West Indies.

The Delhi opener plundered 25 boundaries and seven sixes during his 149-ball blitz, joining compatriot Sachin Tendulkar as the only batsmen in history to score double-centuries in the 50-over format.

Sehwag moved past Tendulkar’s 200 not out — against South Africa in Gwalior last year — in the 44th over when, on 197, he cut Andre Russell to the point fence.

He was finally dismissed in the 47th over when he was caught in the deep off Kieron Pollard and was clapped off the field by the entire West Indies team and some 30,000 jubilant home fans.

Sehwag’s blistering knock helped India notch their highest one-day total, surpassing the 414-7 they made against Sri Lanka in Rajkot in 2009.

It was Sehwag’s 15th three-figure knock in one-day cricket and the first since making 175 against Bangladesh in the opening match of the World Cup in Dhaka in February this year.

Sehwag, who is captaining India in the series in the absence of the rested Mahendra Singh Dhoni, had managed just 46 runs in the previous three matches.

But he found the right conditions to strike form on the run-laden pitch at the Holkar stadium in Indore and lift India towards a decisive 3-1 lead in the series.

Sehwag, who was dropped on 170 by West Indies captain Darren Sammy in the covers, put on 176 for the first wicket with Gautam Gambhir (67) and 140 for the second with Suresh Raina (55).

It was the ideal tune-up for Sehwag as he prepared for the four-Test series in Australia starting later this month.

Left-hander Gambhir, who had scored 16 runs in the series, broke the shackles to hit 11 boundaries in his run-a-ball innings during the rollicking opening stand.

Gambhir, who also heads to Australia next week, was unlucky to be run out in the 23rd over when Sehwag changed his mind about taking a sharp single to the cover region.

The West Indies suffered a blow before the start when star batsman Darren Bravo was ruled out of the must-win game due to a hamstring strain.

Bravo was replaced by Kieran Powell.

India brought in debutant leg-spinner Rahul Sharma in place of fast bowler Umesh Yadav, the only change from the side that lost the third match in Ahmedabad on Monday.

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Pakistan earns consolation win in Champions Trophy

AUCKLAND: Pakistan thumped South Korea 6-2 to post their first win of the Champions Trophy on Thursday, while Germany scored a last-gasp winner against Great Britain.

Pakistan came from behind to snap a three-game losing streak at the last major men’s tournament before the London Olympics, with captain Mohammad Imran and Abdul Khan both notching a brace.

Imran proved the inspiration for a Pakistan fightback after Lee Nam-Yong’s seventh minute goal gave Korea the lead, with the skipper converting a penalty corner after 15 minutes to put the Green Shirts on the board.

Khan followed up with a field goal one minute later and from there Pakistan looked assured, holding their nerve when Korea equalised and sealing the win with a four-goal burst in the final 10 minutes.

Imran said Pakistan, making their first appearance at the tournament since 2007, had finally put together a consistent performance after patchy displays in the opening rounds, including a 6-1 loss to defending champions Australia.

“For the whole match we played very well,” he said. Manager Khawaja Junaid was pleased with the way his team bounced back from the confidence-sapping loss to the Kookaburras.

He said that the Green Shirts, whose early losses mean they are out of medal contention in Auckland, still lagged behind the world’s top teams but the gap was closing.

“I think that was the turning point for our team,” he said.

“We played with organisational structure and discipline. We made less emotional mistakes, less (emphasis on) individual play.

I think that’s the way to improve.

“It’s still a long way to the Olympics and, taking a realistic approach, we know we’re still behind the top teams, but we’re working hard.”

The win keeps alive Pakistan’s hopes of securing fifth place in the eight-nation event, which would guarantee a spot at next year’s competition in Argentina.

In the other Pool D match Germany overcame Britain 2-1, thanks to a last-minute penalty conversion from captain Jan-Marco Montag.

Britain, looking to restore some pride after an 8-1 mauling from Spain on Tuesday, began nervously, conceding a goal to Martin Zwicker after four minutes.

Glenn Kirkham put Britain on level terms mid-way through the first half as the German defence under intense pressure after the break.

But Germany finished stronger and were awarded two penalty corners in the final minute, the second of which Montag flicked into the net over the top of British keeper James Fair.

In Pool C, which will determine the top four placings, Australia play the Netherlands later Thursday and Spain face hosts New Zealand.

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