 Sachin Tendulkar broke the 13-year old ODI record by smashing the South African
bowling to a double century in the fifty overs format of the game. Sachin Tendulkar
scored a 147-ball, unbeaten 200 against South Africa at Gwalior in the second
ODI of the series, to assist the Indians to get to 401/3 in their fifty overs.
In the process, Tendulkar broke the record held by Saeed Anwar and Charles Coventry, who had both scored 194 in ODIs.
In fact, Anwar had scored the 194 against India, and was dismissed on that
score by Sachin Tendulkar. For most part of Anwar's innings, he had a runner
as he had started cramping very early in the innings and was allowed to go ahead
with the runner.
India had won the toss and elected to bat in this second ODI after having won
the first ODI in Jaipur. They lost Virender Sehwag early, but recovered through
the likes of Dinesh Karthik and Yusuf Pathan; both of whom gave ample
support to the double centurion. MS Dhoni came in later to smack a 35-ball 68
and guide India to 401/3 in the fifty overs. South Africa had no chance in the
game and capitulated to lose the game and in turn, the series. Tendulkar was
the man of the match.
This was the third time that India has scored 400 in ODIs, doing it against
Bermuda and Sri Lanka before this.
In the process, this was the first time that 200 has been scored in ODIs. This
was tje 2962nd ODI in the history of cricket. Tendulkar's previous highest score
in ODIs was 186 that he had smashed against New Zealand. Last year, he
had also smashed a 175 against Australia and had scored an unbeaten 163, before
retiring hurt against New Zealand. This was also India's third occasion when
they had got to a total of more than 400 in the fifty overs.
India's 401/3 against South Africa was also the ninth time that a team
scored 400 or more in the ODI format. The first occasion that this happened
was by Australia, against the Proteas at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. In reply,
South Africa smashed the record by scoring 438 to not only win the game but
the series as well. This is also the highest ever score made batting second.
443/9 is the highest score in a fifty overs game that Sri Lanka scored
against Netherlands in an ODI at Amstelveen in Holland.
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