Kings XI Punjab opener Virender Sehwag hit 12 fours and eight sixes during his monstrous 58-ball 122 that left even Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni looking surprised.
A few days after his former Indian opening partner Gautam Gambhir was brought back in the Indian Test team for the England tour, Kings XI Punjab opener Virender Sehwag showed everyone why he is not done yet in his career with a thunderous 58-ball 122 against Chennai Super Kings in the second qualifer of Indian Premier League-7. (Scorecard)
It was all Sehwag from the word go after Chennai put Punjab in to bat at Wankhede Stadium. Sehwag thrashed Nehra for a cracking off-side boundary on the last ball of the first over, reminding everyone of his class.
"Whenever I went there to bat, and got out early, I got a call from my wife. My son's friends were also teasing him about his father not scoring runs and I told him, hold on beta, there is still time. During the last couple of games I wanted to focus on my batting and had to win at least one game for Kings XI Punjab," said Sehwag after Kings XI Punjab posted 226/6 after being put in to bat by Chennai Super Kings.
For a little while, it looked as if Punjab were getting a little slow as his opening partner Manan Vohra occupied much of the strike but then Sehwag made his intentions clear with another boundary off Mohit Sharma towards the end of the third over.
From then on, it was a flurry of boundaries from Sehwag that sent the Wankhede crowd in a continuous state of cheer.
After the end of the powerplay overs, Sehwag decided he would now be only aiming at clearing the ground as his fours turned into sixes, one after the other.
Sehwag hit a total of 12 fours and eight sixes as he slammed his way to a second IPL hundred. Sehwag became the second centurion this season after Mumbai Indians' Lendl Simmons.
Sehwag, who had not made much of an impact during this year's IPL despite getting some quick 30-run knocks, peaked at the right time for his team, as they were trying to reach their maiden IPL final against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 2. Punjab had earlier lost the first qualifer against Kolkata Knight Riders in a game that had its outcome threatened by rain.
Still a long way to go before anyone can write off the wonder lad from Najafgarh, it seems!
Story first published on: Friday, 30 May 2014 21:48
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