India won first match in WC against Bangladesh

A bilstering 175 from Virender Sehwag saw India crush Bangladesh by 87 runs in the World Cup opener at the Shere Bangla National Stadium here on Saturday.

Put into bat, Virender Sehwag struck a career-best 175 while Virat Kohli hit his fifth century as India piled 370 for four in the first Group B match.

Chasing a stiff target of 371 runs, Bangladesh made 283 for nine in 50 overs with opener Tamim Iqbal top scoring with 70 and captain Shakib-al-Hasan scoring 55.

For India, pacer Munaf Patel picked up four for 48 from 10 overs as India took revenge of their 2007 loss at the hands of the Bangladesh that saw them making a first round exit in the Caribbeans.

Bangladesh started their chase on a good note as Imrul Kayes (34) smacked Sreesanth for 24 in his one over.

But a bowling change had the desired effect as Kayes chopped Munaf Patel’s fifth ball onto his stumps.

Junaid Siddique (37) and Tamim continued to carry the fight to India but the introduction of spinners Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan stemmed the flow of runs as boundaries were hard to come by.

Siddique scored 37 from 52 balls before he was cleverly stumped by Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Harbhajan.

Tamim, playing an unusually subdued innings, reached his 17th half-century off 71 balls. He showed signs of an acceleration with a huge six off Yuvraj, but the all-rounder got his own back with a sharp, low catch that sent Tamim back to the pavilion for 70.

With Tamim’s dismissal went any last hope of a Bangladesh triumph but a half-century from captain Shakib helped the Tigers to a respectable total.

Earlier, Sehwag hit five sixes and 14 fours in his career-best 175 before he edged a Shakib’s delivery onto his stumps. Sehwag reached his century off 94 balls.

Kohli, who hit a century on the World Cup-debut, reached his century off 83 deliveries with the help of two sixes and eight fours.

Bangladesh spinner Mahmudullah clean bowled Gautam Gambhir (39) in the 24th over to break the dangerous looking second wicket partnership. Gambhir hit three fours in his 39-ball innings in the match.

Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in a freak run-out by Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan in the eleventh over. The master blaster hit four boundaries in his 29-ball innings.