Virender Sehwag-Rahul Dravid centuries: The two batsmen scored individual centuries to put India in a commanding position.
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On this day in 2005, the then India opening batsman Virender Sehwag and vice-captain Rahul Dravid scored individual ODI centuries to put India in a commanding position in the first ODI of Pakistan’s tour of India in 2005 in Kochi.
What formed the basis of a clinical 87-run victory other than these two batsmen sharing a 201-run stand for the third wicket was Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar registering his second ODI five-wicket haul in the second innings.
After the then India captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and chose to bat, India scored 281/8 in their allotted quota of 50 overs. Sehwag and Dravid played the rescue act after the hosts lost opening batsman Tendulkar (4) and Ganguly (0) cheaply.
Despite India losing two wickets on consecutive deliveries, Sehwag remained unperturbed as he brought a 55-ball half-century. With Dravid taking his time at the other end, Sehwag seemed to have made it a point to accumulate runs at a brisk pace.
While both Sehwag and Dravid completed their half-centuries in consecutive overs, Sehwag reached the three-figure mark for the seventh time in ODIs way before Dravid. It was on the first delivery of the 32nd over that Sehwag ran a single off Pakistan pacer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan to register a century.
Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq broke the partnership after he dismissed Sehwag on 108 (95) with the help of nine fours and three sixes. Dravid, who completed his century in the 45th over, ended up scoring 104 (139) with the help of six fours.
Having registered bowling figures of 10-1-50-5, Tendulkar played a crucial role in bundling out Pakistan for 194 in 45.2 overs. Running through their middle-order, Tendulkar didn’t allow the likes of Mohammad Hafeez (42) and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (37) to capitalize on their starts.
Virender Sehwag-Rahul Dravid centuries
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