Statistical Highlights

Ninth ODI, India v Kenya

Opening together for the 109th time, the Indian pair of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar now has the highest run aggregate as openers in LOIs. During their world record partnership of 258 they went past of the previous record of 5150 runs (avg. 52.55) in 102 innings by the West Indian pair of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. The Indian pair now has 5396 runs (avg. 50.43) in 109 innings.

During their world record partnership of 258 runs for the first wicket the Indian pair established the following records:
* on 13, they bettered the previous highest run aggregate by any openers in LOIs, by going past the previous record aggregate of 5150 runs (avg. 52.55) in 102 innings by the West Indian pair of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. The Indian pair now has 5396 runs (avg. 50.43) in 109 innings.
* on 100, they became the first opening pair in LOI history to register 16 hundred-plus partnerships for the first wicket. The West Indian pair of Greenidge and Haynes had 15 such partnerships.
* on 111, they bettered the highest first wicket partnership at this ground, which was the 110 by Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana against the home team on 9-1-2001
* on 135, they bettered the highest partnership for any wicket at this ground, which was the unbeaten 134 by South Africans Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes against Sri Lanka for the third wicket on 9-1-2001.
* on 164, they bettered the highest partnership for the first wicket for India against Kenya, which was the 163 between Ajay Jadeja and Sachin Tendulkar at Cuttack on 18-2-1996.
* on 175, they bettered the highest partnership for the first wicket by any team against Kenya, which was the 174 by Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga for the West Indies at Nairobi (Simba Union) on 15-8-2001.
* on 194, they bettered the highest partnership by any team for the first wicket on South African soil by bettering their own performance, which was the 193 against South Africa at Johannesburg earlier this month on 5-10-2001.
* on 227, they bettered the highest partnership for any wicket on South African soil, which was the 226 for the fourth wicket between West Indians S Chanderpaul and Carl Hooper against South Africa at East London on 24-1-1999.
* on 238, they bettered the highest partnership for any wicket against the Kenyans, which was the unbeaten 237 for the third wicket between Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar at Bristol on 23-5-1999.
* on 253, the bettered their own LOI world record for the opening wicket, which was the 252 against Sri Lanka at Colombo (Premadasa) on 7-7-1998.

The above record opening partnership was incidentally the fifth highest for any wicket in LOIs. Interestingly the first three top partnerships involve Indian teams.

Ganguly, during his innings of 111, when on 23, became the third Indian, after Tendulkar (10786 runs) and Mohammad Azharuddin (9378) and the 13th batsman overall in LOI history to aggregate 7000 runs. By achieving this landmark in 180 matches and 174 innings, Ganguly became the quickest among the 13 batsmen to reach 7000 runs in least matches and innings. West Indian Brian Lara needed 187 matches and 183 innings to reach his milestone of 7000 runs earlier this year against South Africa.

Tendulkar (146) recorded his 31st hundred of his career. It was incidentally his second highest after the unbeaten 186 against New Zealand at Hyderabad on 8-11-1999. However it was his highest score on foreign soil bettering the previous best of 143 against Australia at Sharjah on 22-4-1998.

Virender Sehwag (22 balls) recorded the joint seventh fastest fifty in LOI history. However it was the joint second fastest by an Indian. The record still remains with Ajit Agarkar when he scored his fifty in just 21 balls during his unbeaten innings of 67 against Zimbabwe at Rajkot on 14-12-2000.

Martin Suji's bowling figures of 7-0-81-0 (R/o: 11.57) was the least economical by any bowler bowling at least six overs in a LOI match. Former team mate Rajab Ali had figures of 6-0-67-0 (R/o: 11.17) against Sri Lanka at Kandy on 6-3-1996, while former Indian left-arm spinner Ravi Shastri had figures of 7-1-77-1 (R/o: 11.00) against the West Indies at Jamshedpur on 7-12-1983.

India's total of 351-3 was its third largest in LOIs. The best remains as the 376-2 against New Zealand at Hyderabad on 8-11-1999.

The win by 186 runs was India's biggest in terms of runs in LOIs. Their previous best was the 174 run win against New Zealand at Hyderabad on 8-11-1999.

Playing in his 279 match, Tendulkar won the 42nd man of the match award of his career.

India's tour of South Africa: Complete coverage