13 July 2004	Tuesday	24 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

NEW DELHI, July 12: Virender Sehwag, the only Indian to smash a Test triple-century, on Monday warned Asia Cup rivals he was capable of scoring the first double-century in one-dayers.

"If I stay at the crease for 50 overs, I can score a double-century," said the opening batsman, renowned for demoralising bowlers with his aggressive strokes in both Test and one-day cricket.

Former Pakistani opener Saeed Anwar holds the world record in the shorter version of the game with 194 against India at Chennai in 1997, but Sehwag said it was not impossible to break the 200-barrier.

"In fact, a lot of batsmen can do it provided they bat full 50 overs," said Sehwag, who cracked 309 against Pakistan in the first Test at Multan in March. "It is certainly not easy to score a double-century in one-dayers, but it is also not impossible."

Sehwag has so far made 2,819 runs in 90 One-day Internationals, with 130 against New Zealand at home last year being his highest score. The 25-year-old did not believe that a weak bowling attack was required to slam the first-ever double-century, saying no opposition could be taken lightly.

"It takes just one ball to dismiss a batsman," Sehwag said ahead of the Asia Cup tournament starting in Sri Lanka on Friday. India open their campaign on Friday with a day-night match against the UAE, a non-Test-playing nation, at Dambulla. "It is a tough competition with some strong sides in the fray," said Sehwag. -AFP