Bangladesh News

Virender Sehwag returned to his big scoring ways with a blistering century to help India post a record 413-5 against debutants Bermuda in their second World Cup match the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain on Monday.
The total was the highest in the competition, surpassing the previous best of 398-5 by Sri Lanka against Kenya at Kandy in the 1996 World Cup.

Hard-hitting opener Sehwag, who had just one half-century in his previous 14 games, smashed an 87-ball 114 with three sixes and 17 fours for his eighth hundred – his first in two years.

In reply, Bermuda were heading for disaster. The World Cup debutant were limping on 64-5 in 20 overs with David Hemp batting on 29 and Dean Minors 1.

Away at the Sabina Park, West Indies were chasing 203 to beat Zimbabwe and book their place in the Super Eights. The hosts got off to a sound start with openers Shivnarine Chanderpaul (10) and Chris Gayle (11) producing 32 runs in 9 overs.

Both matches started in sombre mood with flags at the grounds flown at half mast, and teams and match officials wearing black armbands in tribute to Pakistan’s coach BobWoolmer, who died on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Sehwag shared a 202-run stand for the second wicket with in-form Sourav Ganguly (89). Ganguly, who scored 66 against Bangladesh, extended his impressive run with yet another solid knock. He struck two sixes and three fours in his 114-ball knock.

He looked set to become the first batsman to score five centuries in the World Cup when he was stumped attempting a big shot. Australians Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh, and Indian Sachin Tendulkar are others with four hundreds.

India, keeping an eye on the net run-rate their losing their opening match, sent in big-hitters Mahendra Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh ahead of Sachin Tendulkar. The move paid off as runs came thick and fast. The innings contained 18 sixes.

Dhoni hit a 25-ball 29 and Yuvraj an explosive 46-ball 83 with seven sixes. Yuvraj and Tendulkar added 122 for the fifth wicket off just 62 balls. Tendulkar made a 29-ball 57 not out with four sixes.

India, in a must-win situation after being upset by Bangladesh in their previous game, found the going easy against Bermuda who looked clueless after early second-over celebrations.

New-ball bowler Malachi Jones struck with his first delivery when he had opener Robin Uthappa caught by burly Dwayne Leverock, who dived to his right to hold the ball. But the joy was short-lived as their attack was soon put to the sword by Sehwag, who raced to his half-century off 43 balls with 11 fours. He took 38 more deliveries to complete his century, with a single off seamer Kevin Hurdle.

At the Sabina Park, Zimbabwe, sent in to bat on a hard, true pitch under partly cloudy skies, were indebted to half-centuries from Sean Williams and Brendon Taylor, as well as a late cameo from Elton Chugumbura for getting them to a respectable total.

Left-hander Williams hit an undefeated top score of 70 from 88 balls and Taylor gathered 50 from 121 balls in a vital stand of 83 for the fifth wicket to lead a Zimbabwe recovery.

When Taylor backed up too far and was run out by Dwayne Bravo’s throw from point to bowler Marlon Samuels in the 41st over, Chigumbura arrived and gave the Zimbabweans a late boost.

He collected five fours in the closing overs to gather 30 not out from 29 balls and share an unbroken stand of 60 with Williams.

West Indies had early success, when new ball bowlers Jerome Taylor and Daren Powell bowled both Zimbabweans openers Friday Kasteni and Vusimuzi Sibanda inside the first three overs.

West Indies won the opening match of the World Cup against Pakistan by 54 runs last Tuesday, and Zimbabwe tied with Ireland last Thursday.