India's Virender Sehwag celebrates after completing his century during their Cricket World Cup match against Bermuda in Port of Spain, March 19.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP):

India trounced Bermuda by a limited-overs international record 257 runs yesterday, with Virender Sehwag's return to form leading the 1983 champions to the highest World Cup total.

Sehwag's belligerent 114 spurred India to 413 for five from 50 overs. Bermuda were then bowled out for 156 in 43.1 overs.

Australia held the previous mark for biggest margin of victory in one-day internationals, by 256 runs over Namibia in the 2003 World Cup.

In beating that, India became the first team to surpass 400 in the World Cup as its batsmen sent the ball soaring over the fence for 18 sixes, surpassing Sri Lanka's 398-5 against Kenya at Kandy in 1996.

"We achieved what we wanted to in this match," said Indian captain Rahul Dravid.

"We finished ahead of Sri Lanka's margin of victory against Bermuda."

Previous best ODI total

India's previous best ODI total came in the 1999 World Cup match against Sri Lanka at Taunton, England, where it amassed 373-6.

Dravid said Sehwag set up the big total.

"Sehwag's a good player and it's good for us that he's back in form before the crucial game against Sri Lanka," he said.

The runaway win pulled India back into contention for a place in the Super Eights after a stunning five-wicket upset loss to Bangladesh in its first Group B match.

World Cup winner in 1983 and finalist in 2003, India must defeat Sri Lanka in its last preliminary round fixture Friday and then hope for other results to fall in place to advance to the second round.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh each go into their Wednesday match at 1-0.

Leanest form

Sehwag, 28, emerged from the leanest form of his career during which he just had one half-century in 14 previous limited-overs internationals, by cracking three huge sixes and 17 boundaries off 87 deliveries.

Sehwag featured in a 202-run second-wicket stand with Sourav Ganguly, who fell 11 runs short of becoming the first batsman to post five World Cup centuries.

Ganguly scored 89 from 114 balls, including two sixes and six boundaries after getting a reprieve when he was dropped on 14.

His opening partner Robin Uthappa departed for three, giving 17-year-old Malachi Jones a wicket with his first World Cup delivery. The emotion was too much for Jones, who was moved to tears as his teammates joined him in celebration.

Sehwag blasted 11 boundaries to make his first 50 off 43 deliveries, and then accelerated to reach triple-figures off another 38 balls. He fell to a miscued shot against seamer Kevin Hurdle to be caught by Jones at mid-off.

Ganguly stumped

Ganguly missed the line of a delivery from off-spinner Delyone Borden and was stumped by Dean Minors, who had muffed another chance to stump Ganguly earlier in the over.

Mahendra Dhoni made a cameo 29 before the most productive phase of the innings came through a rapid 122-run partnership off 62 balls between left-hander Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar.

Singh hammered seven sixes and three boundaries to blaze 83 off 43 deliveries.

Singh fell in the 49th over, but his strokeplay even eclipsed star batsman Tendulkar, who finished on 57 not out.

Bermuda's only professional player, Glamorgan left-hander David Hemp, scored an unbeaten 76, but wickets tumbled at the other end as seamer Ajit Agarkar and legspinner Anil Kumble each returned figures of 3-38.

Highest World Cup team totals

(Reuters): Factbox on the 10 highest World Cup team totals after India scored 413 for five against Bermuda in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. (Tabulated under team, score, overs, opposition, ground, date):

India 413-5 (50 overs) v Bermuda, Port of Spain, March 2007.

Sri Lanka 398-5 (50 overs) v Kenya, Kandy, March 1996.

India 373-6 (50 overs) v Sri Lanka, Taunton, May 1999.

West Indies 360-4 (50 overs) v Sri Lanka, Karachi, October 1987.

Australia 359-2 (50 overs) v India, Johannesburg, March 2003.

Australia 358-5 (50 overs) v Netherlands, Basseterre, March 2007.

South Africa 353-3 (40 overs) v Netherlands, Basseterre, March 2007.

Zimbabwe 340-2 (50 overs) v Namibia, Harare, Feb. 2003.

Pakistan 338/5 (60 overs) v Sri Lanka, Swansea, June 1983.

Australia 334/6 (50 overs) v Scotland, Basseterre, March 2007.