Sehwag breaks ODI record

Virender Sehwag made the highest individual score in one-day
international history as he blasted a remarkable 219 to put West Indies
to the sword in Indore.

The 33-year-old, long considered one of the game's most destructive hitters at the top of the order, passed compatriot Sachin Tendulkar's previous mark of 200 not out with a dazzling innings that contained 25 fours and seven sixes.

It underpinned a mammoth total of 418 for five, leaving the bowlers to dismiss the tourists for 265 and seal a 153-run win to put India 3-1 up in the series.

The closest Sehwag came to falling short of the record was when Darren Sammy spilled a simple catch in the deep on 170.

Sehwag, whose previous ODI best was 175 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in February, brought up the record in style with his 23rd four of the match.

He was finally dismissed in the 47th over off the bowling of Kieron Pollard, having already gone past the 8,000-run mark in ODIs.

The Windies used seven bowlers in a bid to find a way to stop the Sehwag onslaught, but none will be keen to remember their figures.

Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir put on 176 for the first wicket before the latter was run out by Marlon Samuels for 67.

Sehwag, meanwhile, was running through his remarkable repertoire of strokes - including an audacious upper-cut for six, several muscular blows down the ground against all comers and some dominant cuts.

Suresh Raina was run out by Andre Russell for 55 to leave India 316 for two in the 41st over, while Sehwag got a reprieve on 170 when he was dropped by Sammy off Ravi Rampaul.

Russell removed Ravindra Jadeja for 10 before Sehwag surpassed Tendulkar's record to move on to 201.

He added 18 more runs before his glorious innings came to an end, Pollard finally getting some joy for the beleaguered Windies attack.

But the in-form Rohit Sharma hit 27 off 16 and Virat Kohli an unbeaten 23 off 11 as India continued to pile on the runs.

The Windies coughed up a first wicket in the second over, Kieran Powell softly run out for seven after a mix-up with Lendl Simmons.

Simmons started brightly, with a six and six fours to his name before he fell for 36 to the spin of Ravindra Jadeja.

Marlon Samuels also enjoyed himself in a brief but fluent knock, making 33 in 26 balls before he was third out clean bowled by Sharma.

Denza Hyatt (11) was Sharma's second victim as the scoreboard read 90 for four, with Pollard failing to fire as he became scalp number three soon after.

Denesh Ramdin was busy compiling an innings at the other end, scoring quickly but not extravagantly.

He and Russell put on 40 for the fifth wicket before Suresh Raina and Parthiv Patel effected a stumping.

Sammy (two), Rampaul (10) and Roach (seven) came and went with minimal fuss, but last man Sunil Narine (27no) stuck around gallantly as Ramdin's hundred hoved into view.

He did not get there, dismissed by Jadeja four runs short of the mark with four balls of the innings remaining.

PA