Virender Sehwag reaches double-century from only 140 balls against Windies

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THE wonder was not in how many Virender Sehwag scored against the West Indies in Indore on Thursday, but how many he might have scored if he had not been dismissed.

THE wonder was not in how many Virender Sehwag scored against the West Indies in Indore on Thursday, but how many he might have scored if he had not been dismissed.

There were 3 1/2 overs remaining of India's innings when Sehwag was caught at long-off for 219, the highest individual score in one-day international history. When Sachin Tendulkar had become the only previous batsman to make a double hundred in the international 50-over game, against South Africa last year, he had inched across the line in the final over, finishing unbeaten on a round 200 from 147 balls.

But Sehwag had power to add on Thursday, having reached his double century from only 140 balls and reached 219 from a further eight before he drove Kieron Pollard to long-off and took his leave, his hand shaken on the way by almost every West Indies fielder. They were, presumably, hoping that some of the magic _ and the luck _ would rub off.

That was to no avail. Inevitably, they fell a long way short of India's total of 5-418, which was its highest one-day total, beating the 7-414 it had scored against Sri Lanka in Rajkot two years ago. It was the joint fourth-highest total in the history of one-day internationals _ all 3223 of them _ and the 10th total of more than 400.

In pursuit, the West Indies slumped to 7-145 by the 25th over and although Dinesh Ramdin made 96 to ensure that, collectively at least, they surpassed Sehwag's effort and made 265 in a 153-run defeat, which gave India a 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

As for Sehwag, he had his fair share of luck, but that is only to be expected when such a daring strokemaker stays at the crease for almost 50 overs. He was dropped twice, most glaringly on 170, when he sliced a drive at Ravi Rampaul directly towards cover, where Darren Sammy put down a straightforward chance.

"When Sammy dropped the catch, I thought God was with me," Sehwag said. "He was telling me, 'You just bat till the 45th or 46th over and get your 200'."

Whoever was talking to Sehwag clearly underestimated his abilities, because he had reached his double hundred by the end of the 44th over, cutting Andre Russell for four to reach the landmark.

"Whenever I hit the ball into the gaps, it would go for four," he said. "Whenever I decided to hit a six, I would hit with a straight bat and it would go for six."