A loud roar went around the ground after Delhi’s No. 3 batsman Manan Sharma had nicked one behind. The cry of joy wasn’t because Maharashtra bowler Joseph Muthuswamy had got a wicket, but it was for the man who was scheduled to walk in at number four, Virender Sehwag.

At the MCA ground in Gahunje which is enveloped by a village and a highway, the word of Sehwag walking in at the crease spread quickly. Soon one stand was packed; they didn’t want to miss this rare opportunity to witness Jai-Veeru (Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag) in action. Phones were soon out and selfie moments began as Sehwag walked in.

Sehwag started with a crisply punched drive and the crowd began to cheer. But the sound faded when they saw it had gone straight to mid-off. They demanded more but Sehwag wasn’t in a mood to oblige. He had just seen Gambhir being troubled by the swing of Samad Fallah, who was getting it to swing both ways. Fallah went round the stumps, Sehwag took stance a few feet outside the crease. The first delivery was full but it curved away, beating Sehwag on the drive. A similar full-length delivery arrived soon, this one came in with the arm but Sehwag was ready with a drive to mid-on where a misfield yielded four runs.

Few nervous moments ensured — an lbw appeal off Anupam Sanklecha popped up, an edge flew past the wicketkeeper and slips. He pushed around for singles, rotating strike with Gambhir, who did the same. An odd boundary intervened and both eventually reached their fifties and added 103 runs in the process. Sehwag hit a couple of boundaries before Chirag Khurana got him lbw. Delhi lost wickets of Sehwag and Mithun Manhas in quick succession but Gambhir remained firm on an unbeaten 93 that had come in 217 balls.

Brief Score: M’rashtra 330 (S Gugale 174, C Khurana 55; S Narwal 3/37); Delhi 240/4 in 76 ovs (G Gambhir 93 n.o, V Sehwag 66)