India Set Records In Rout

• Cricket365
• March 19, 2007

India amassed a World Cup-record 413-5 en route to a crushing 257-run victory over Bermuda in their Group B clash in Trinidad.

India took out the frustration of their shock World Cup defeat to Bangladesh with the biggest victory in one-day international history over hapless Bermuda today.
Having been skittled for just 191 in their opening Group B encounter, India posted a tournament record 413 for five before sealing a crushing 257-run win – one more than Australia's previous record – at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
It was the sort of margin of victory they were looking for to help their chances of qualification for the Super Eight stage.
Bermuda were made to rue electing to field as Virender Sehwag finally found some form.
Sehwag, who struggled to find anything like his best form in his side's opener, top-scored with 114 off 87 balls – his first World Cup century – which contained three sixes and 17 fours as part of a 202-run second-wicket stand with Sourav Ganguly.
The former skipper, who weighed in with 89, continues to look in good touch.
Another shock had looked possible early on when Robin Uthappa was caught at slip for three by Dwayne Leverock, the 19-stone left-armer diving spectacularly to his right to cling on to the catch which gave Malachi Jones a wicket with his first ball in World Cup cricket.
Jones immediately burst into tears at the enormity of it all but soon the weeping spread to his team-mates as India plundered the Bermuda bowling.
With the match already out of Bermuda's reach, Yuvraj Singh smashed seven sixes and three fours in an innings of 83 in 46 balls.
Sachin Tendulkar hammered a six – one of four in his innings – to take India past 400 as he finished 57 not out off just 29 balls, guiding the 1983 champions past the previous best score of 398 for five made by Sri Lanka against Kenya at Kandy in 1995-96.
Kevin Hurdle was the only bowler to escape with anything like respectable figures, claiming one for 53 off 10 overs.
Bermuda's reply was always going to be a formality and it was not long before the wickets began to tumble.
Zaheer Khan got the ball rolling by clean bowling Oliver Pitcher, with neither opener having troubled the scoreboard.
Zaheer struck again soon after, making it 18 for two with one that nipped back through the gate, clipping the top of Stephen Outerbridge's middle stump for nine.
David Hemp arrived to try to steady the ship, but his embryonic partnership with Delyone Borden (13) was scuppered by an extraordinary lbw decision by Aleem Dar off the bowling of Munaf Patel.
Dar raised his finger despite the ball appearing to be comfortably sailing over the top of the stumps.
A more plausible leg-before call followed with the score on 57, captain Irving Romaine becoming spinner Anil Kumble's first victim of the tournament.
Number two was not long in arriving, Janeiro Tucker going for a duck after playing and missing one that crashed into the stumps.
Somewhat predictably, only Glamorgan captain Hemp was providing any real resistance but with his partners falling with frequency it was never likely to be enough.
Dean Minors made a decent 21 – and looked like he might provide Hemp with a promising foil – before he perished to an ungainly swipe which sent the ball looping to substitute fielder Dinesh Karthik from Ajit Agarkar's bowling.
Lionel Cann gave the seamer his next scalp soon after, giving himself next to no chance to get used to the conditions before attempting an ambitious pull from a ball that hurried him.
The ball lobbed in the air but the batsman stood his ground after Uthappa took a stooping catch close to the ground.
After some discussion Cann was sent on his way, leaving Hemp to provide the Bermudan cheer with a commanding shot to leg to bring up his 50.
Agarkar continued to sweep up the tail when he accounted for Hurdle without scoring.
Hurdle faced four deliveries before Agarkar's nagging accuracy caught him out and bowled him out to bring the end ever closer.
Leverock made his way to crease and after frustrating India for 31 balls he finally fell cutting the part-time leg-spin of Tendulkar into the gloves of Mahendra Dhoni for nine.
Jones (one) was then trapped lbw by the wily Kumble – who, like Agarkar returned figures of three for 38 – to wrap up the record for India and leave the unfortunate Hemp stranded on 76 not out.