On this day, in 2011: Virendra Sehwag became the second player in ODI format to score a double ton

Former team India explosive opener Virendra Sehwag had become the second batsman in the history of cricket to score a double century in the One Day International format on December 8 in 2011.

In the fourth ODI match against West Indies in Indore, the talismanic India opener Sehwag, sizzled with the bat, defanging the opposition bowling attack and scored a stupendous 219 from 149 balls. 

Coming into the fourth match of the ODI series, India was leading the tournament 2-1 against the visiting West Indies side. Looking to seal the series with another win, MS Dhoni-led team India, won the toss and decided to bat first.

Opening the batting for team India, Gautam Gambhir and Virendra Sehwag got the Indian side off to a flier adding 176-runs for the first wicket. Sehwag added 219 runs for his side smashing 25 boundaries and seven sixes during the course of his innings. Viru’s feisty innings helped India reach a mammoth total of 418 runs for the loss of five wickets in their allocated 50 overs. Besides Sehwag’s 219, Gambhir added 67 and Suresh Raina added 55 to the Indian total.

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Batting second the West Indies side had to chase a mammoth total of 419 but lost quick wickets as debutant Rahul Sharma claimed three wickets. India ultimately won the match by 159 runs also sealing the series. Sehwag was awarded the man of the match for his mammoth innings.

Sehwag who retired from international cricket in 2013, scored 8,273 runs from the 251 ODI games he played for team India. Sehwag also has two triple hundreds for India in the longer form of the game.