Vintage Virender Sehwag fires India Legends to 10-wicket triumph over Bangladesh Legends
Virender Sehwag blasted a belligerent 80 not out off 35 balls as India Legends hammered Bangladesh Legends by ten wickets in the fifth match of the Road Safety World Series.
Batting as if he had never been away, Sehwag smashed ten fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 228.57. In comparison, captain Sachin Tendulkar made a more sedate 33, not out off 26 balls.
The Road Safety World Series resumed on Friday in Raipur following a year-long break due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Batting first after winning the toss, Bangladesh Legends were bowled out for a paltry 109 in 19.4 overs. Chasing 110 for victory, Sehwag got India Legends off to a sensational start, racing to his half-century off only 23 balls.
Turning back the clock, Sehwag was at his attacking best right from the word go. He amassed 19 of the very first over of India Legends’ chase bowled by left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique.
It was vintage Sehwag, as the first two balls were hammered for fours, and the third was launched for a maximum. The fifth ball also went for a boundary as India Legends launched their chase in style.
There was no stopping Sehwag as a four and a six followed in the second over bowled by Mohammad Sharif. Sachin Tendulkar, who hadn’t faced a ball till then, joined the fun by hitting Alamgir Kabir for a couple of fours.
The runs kept flowing, and Sehwag brought up his fifty in style, launching Kabir for a six over the bowler’s head. That was after Kabir had already been dispatched for fours off the previous two balls.
India Legends raced to 74 for no loss at the end of the Powerplay.
Sehwag then welcomed Khaled Mahmud into the attack by whacking him for a four and before outside edging one for another boundary. Another six off a slower ball off the same bowler took India Legends to the cusp of a commanding win.
The Nawab of Najafgarh finished off the match in style, pulling the first ball of the 11th over from Mahmud over cow corner for a maximum.
India Legends stifle Bangladesh Legends with the ball
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh Legends got off to a sedate start. as Nazimuddin and Javed Omar added 59 runs for the opening stand. The partnership was broken in the eighth over when Pragyan Ojha had Javed Omar stumped for 12. After that, it was all India Legends, as the challenge of Bangladesh Legends continued to disintegrate.
Nazimuddin was looking good for a fifty but fell one short, as he was bowled by Yuvraj Singh after scoring 49 runs off 33 deliveries.
Only one other Bangladesh Legends batsman managed to reach double figures - Rajin Saleh (12). From 68 for one at one stage, Bangladesh Legends then collapsed to 109 all out in 19.4 overs.
The Pathan brothers, Irfan and Yusuf, combined to send back Bangladesh Legends captain Mohammad Rafique for one. Nafees Iqbal and Hannan Sarkar then fell for single-figure scores to the guile of left-arm spinners Ojha and Yuvraj Singh, respectively.
Manpreet Gony joined in the fun for India Legends, having Mohammad Sharif caught for five. Abdur Razzak (2) and Khaled Mahmud (7) added to Bangladesh’s woes by getting themselves run out.
Vinay Kumar finished things off by cleaning up last-man Alamgir Kabir for a duck. Kumar, Ojha and Yuvraj Singh all claimed two wickets apiece for India Legends,with Manpreet Gony and Yusuf Pathan chipped in with one apiece.