Vintage Virender Sehwag blasts 63-ball 134 in MCL

Sharjah, Feb 6: Virender Sehwag set the Sharjah Cricket Stadium alight with a blazing 63-ball 134 in a Masters Champions League (MCL) Twenty20 match here last night (February 5).

Full schedule of the tournament

Captain Sehwag smashed 11 sixes and 10 boundaries in his hurricane knock with a strike rate of 212.69. Thanks to his blitzkrieg, Gemini Arabians won a high-scoring contest against Sagittarius Strikers by 12 runs. Sehwag at his vintage best, reached hundred off just 47 balls.

The 37-year-old Sehwag, who got the tournament started last week with a six off the very first ball, displayed his usual aggressive batting style on Friday in Sharjah.

After opting to bat first, Sehwag led his team to 224/7 in 20 overs. In reply, the Strikers, after losing their captain and opening batsman Adam Gilchrist for a duck, fought hard but ended on 212/9 in 20 overs.

Strikers' left-arm paceman Krishmar Santokie claimed 5 wickets including a hat-trick in the final over. He dismissed Kumar Sangakkara, Brad Hodge and Justin Kemp on the 1st three balls of the 20 over to take a hat-trick.

Also starring for Arabians were Sri Lankan greats Sangakkara and Muttaiah Muralitharan. Sangakkara scored 51 while Muralitharan took 3 wickets.

Scores in brief

Gemini Arabians 224/7 in 20 overs (Virender Sehwag 134, Kumar Sangakkara 51, Jacques Rudolph 27, Krishmar Santokie 5/30) beat Sagittarius Strikers 212/9 in 20 overs (Imran Farhat 51, Yasir Hameed 41, Muttaiah Muralitharan 3/38)

A round of applause for Viru. What a knock 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Runs: 134
Balls: 63
SR: 209.38
4's: 10
6's: 11#SAGvGEM #MCL2020 pic.twitter.com/i58Y7gYsR0

— MCL 2020 (@MCL2020UAE) February 5, 2016

No surprises here! @virendersehwag wins the #OxigenMOTM award! Well played Viru 👏🏼 #MCL2020 #SAGvGEM @oxigenwallet pic.twitter.com/1tMdV5juej

— MCL 2020 (@MCL2020UAE) February 5, 2016

Congratulations to @virendersehwag for his 63-ball 134 vs @StrikersMCL! #SAGvGEM #MCL2020 pic.twitter.com/oLxnCVb089

— MCL 2020 (@MCL2020UAE) February 5, 2016

.@virendersehwag: "I am used to scoring hundreds. It was a very good performance." #MCL2020 #SAGvGEM pic.twitter.com/mYcxtqRjg9

— MCL 2020 (@MCL2020UAE) February 5, 2016

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