Sehwag sets up the pace

Virender Sehwag continued to punish Sri Lanka, scoring 146 off 102, bringing up his century in just 66 balls. He now has three centuries in 60, 66 and 69 balls respectively. It was Sehwag who set the pace for a thrilling match on a pitch that looked green, but that tinge may as well have been paint. There was some early movement for both Nuwan Kulasekara and Chanaka Welegedara, but Sehwag suddenly exploded into life, taking Welegedara for three fours in an over. Thereafter, Sri Lanka were all over the place, with Sehwag moving into six-hitting mode. Kulasekara, with his lack of pace, was the ideal target, clouted over cover and then pulled over midwicket with an ease that must have sent a chill down Kumar Sangakkara's spine.

Another emphatic pull off Welegedera took him to 50 from just 34 balls and he then spent some time at the non-striker's end watching Tendulkar do his thing. Worse was to follow. Angelo Mathews was introduced, and Sehwag immediately went downtown, thumping one behind the sightscreen and then over cover as the six balls cost 18. Sehwag doesn't like pauses, and after a brief lull when only singles were taken, he whacked a short one from Sanath Jayasuriya over midwicket for six. Two fours off the hapless Mathews later, he had his 12th century, from just 66 balls.

Sehwag had the record individual score in his sights, but soon after the batting Powerplay was taken, Welegedara returned to get him with a low full toss that lobbed to point off the leading edge.