Tendulkar finished with 200 not out in eclipsing the previous highest score of 194, jointly made by Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry against Bangladesh in Bulawayo last August and Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar against India at Chennai in May 1997.

Tendulkar reached the landmark in the last over off 147 deliveries - featuring 25 boundaries and three sixes - and carried his bat through, helping India amass 401-3 in the allotted 50 overs.

The nearly 30,000 in the partisan crowd went delirious as he surpassed the previous highest score in one-day international.

Tendulkar’s previous best was 186 not out against New Zealand at Hyderabad in November 1999.

He plundered runs from the Proteas almost at will with some dazzling cover drives and pull shots. He picked up deliveries from outside the off stump and hit them over mid-on for sixes and fours.

Tendulkar was involved in a record 194-run second-wicket partnership for India with Dinesh Karthik, who scored 79.

An aggressive knock of 68 not out off 35 balls by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni highlighted India’s domination.

India lost Virender Sehwag early as he slashed hard at a delivery from fast bowler Wayne Parnell, trying to clear the third man boundary. He was caught by Steyn for 9.

However, Tendulkar was in sparkling form and punished Parnell for two successive boundaries in the first over he faced.

India reached 100 in 14.6 overs.

Brief scores:

India: 401-3 (Sachin Tendulkar 200 not out, Dinesh Karthik 79; Wayne Parnell 2-95).

South Africa faced other problems on the field as well. JP Duminy injured his left palm as he tried to stop a powerful drive from Tendulkar on the off side in the fourth over. He later went on to bowl with a bandaged palm. He proved expensive as he came in for punishment from both Tendulkar and Karthik.

Charl Langeveldt also was hit by the ball and suffered a cut above his left. But he bowled for his side as runs rained from the blade of Tendulkar.

Parnell claimed 2-95, but the least expensive bowlers was Roelof van der Merwe with 1-62 in his 10 overs.

Highest One-Day International Cricket Scores

200* - Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) vs SA, Gwalior, Feb 10

194* - Charles Coventry (Zim) vs Ban, Bulawayo, Aug 09

194 - Saeed Anwar (Pak) vs India, Chennai, May 97

189* - Viv Richards (WI) vs England, Manchester, May 84

189 - Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) vs Ind, Sharjah, Oct 00

188* - Gary Kirsten (SA) vs UAE, Rawalpindi, Feb 96

186* - Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) vs NZ, Hyderabad, Nov 99

183* - M. S. Dhoni (Ind) vs SL, Jaipur, Oct 05

183 - Sourav Ganguly (Ind) vs SL, Taunton, May 99

181- Matthew Hayden, (Aus) vs NZ, Hamilton, Feb 07