Sehwag sets up convincing win - victory for India as starter - Viru slams 140-ball 175

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Explosive hundreds by Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli got India off to a perfect start in the World Cup, setting up an 87-run win over Bangladesh in Mirpur on Saturday.

Sent in, India posted 370 for four, its third-highest total in the premier event, and restricted Bangladesh to 283 for nine in its chase.

Sehwag was especially destructive as he rattled up the joint fourth-highest score ever in a World Cup. The opener brought up his 50 in 45 balls with a towering six, reached 100 in 94 balls, and hurried to 175 in 140 balls with 14 fours and five sixes before getting out in the 48{+t}{+h} over.

Sehwag's 14th ODI hundred — his highest score in the format — was also his second three-figure knock in World Cups. He combined with Kohli for 203 runs in 24.1 overs for the third wicket and, later in the innings, did not allow operating with a runner to unduly affect his batting.

Kohli's hundred on World Cup debut, completed in the final over, was his fifth ODI century. The 22-year-old provided the ideal foil to Sehwag, rotating the strike and crunching eight fours and two sixes in his 83-ball knock.
Honourable attempt

Bangladesh's approach to the mammoth task was honourable. The home team kept its nose above water, scuttling to 50 by the fifth over, 100 in the 17{+t}{+h} over and 200 in the 35{+t}{+h} over as most of its batsmen got starts.




But the required rate soon spiralled beyond redress, leading to a flurry of wickets, and defeat. Munaf Patel (four for 48) was the pick of India's bowlers. S. Sreesanth, largely responsible for Bangladesh's early impetus, went for a wicket-less 53 in his five overs.

Sehwag was declared Man of the Match for his pivotal innings.

On Sunday, New Zealand takes on Kenya in Chennai and Sri Lanka plays Canada in Hambantota.

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