Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly struck fine centuries as India ended their run-drought with a massive score of 311 for two against Namibia in a World Cup Pool A league match in Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) on Sunday.
Tendulkar slammed 152, his highest score in World Cups, with 18 fours in just 151 balls while Ganguly, woefully out of form in recent times, signalled his arrival with a handsome score of 112 not out, both passing quite a few milestones in the process.
Tendulkar, who notched up an unrivalled 34th one-day hundred today, equalled the record of Australian Mark Waugh in scoring four centuries in World Cup besides improving on his previous World cup highest score of 140 not out made against Kenya in the previous World Cup.
Ganguly scored his 20th one-day century today, surging ahead of Pakistan's Saeed Anwar in the second place in the all-time list of batsmen with most one-day hundreds.
The two put on 244 runs off 246 balls for the second wicket after Virender Sehwag had been dismissed for run a ball 24.
There was little prospect of these fireworks initially as the Indians were asked to take first strike on a greenish and damp pitch by the Namibian captain Deon Kotze in the morning.
Sehwag clouted his trademark off-side fours and even executed a one bounce four in the midwicket region before finding to his surprise a pull off Rudie van Vuuren go straight into the hands of short midwicket fielder.
Tendulkar was cautious to start with in the initial overs and could have even been bowled off Van Vuuren as he played the wrong line and the ball sneaked between his bat and the stumps into the gloves of the wicketkeeper.
Tendulkar had a huge slice of luck when on 32 he slashed at a delivery from Louis Burger but Jan Berry Burger at gully dropped the hot chance.
After that Tendulkar did not look back and raised his half century with a scorching extra cover drive off Bjorn Kotze in the team total of 93 for one in the 19th over.
Ganguly looked determined to shake off the cobwebs of poor form and restricted himself to singles in the initial phase of his innings. He ran hard between the wickets to help raise the third half century of the innings off just six overs. He swung his shoulders free when he lofted medium-pacer Burton van Rooi high into the midwicket stands for a six for his first big hit and followed it up by cutting the off-spinner Deon Kotze into the cover fence. It also raised the 100-run stand for the second wicket in the 27th over.
Tendulkar showed his penchant for flicks off his legs on a slowish pitch and barely hit a powerful off-stroke till he was past his hundred.
Tendulkar's century came in the 37th over when he flicked one to backward square leg, having faced 115 balls and hit 11 fours.
Ganguly could not have reached his half century in more emphatic manner as he smashed Deon Kotze straight down the ground for a six, having batted for 75 minutes and hit one four and a six.
Ganguly signalled the start of a baton charge when he picked Deon Kotze in the 39th over for some tremendous hits, including a six and a four off successive balls.
Tendulkar raised the 200-run stand in breathtaking manner when he smote Deononi umpire Alam Dir fell flat on all fours in a bid to avoid the scorching shot.
Tendulkar went past his highest score in World Cup when he lofted Van Vuuren straight down the ground and then pushed a single into the outfield to go past previous best score of 140.
Tendulkar was bowled by Van Vuuren in the 48th over for 152 when he tried to essay a massive pull and saw the delivery keep low and crash on to his middle stump.
Ganguly raised his 20th century in the next over having batted for 114 balls and hit six fours and three sixes.
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