St Peter's High School 721 for 0 in 40 overs (Shaibaz 324*, Manoj 320*) beat St Phillip's High School 21 (Akram 7-11) by 700 runs

Manoj Kumar and Mohammed Shaibaz pose after their world-record stand of 721 Associated Press

Two junior cricketers from Hyderabad created history when they added a world-record 721 runs in 40 overs to eclipse the 664-run stand between Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli set in 1987-88. The St Peter's School openers Manoj Kumar and Mohammed Shaibaz, both 13, hit an unbeaten 320 and 324 respectively in the Hyderabad Cricket Association Inter-School Under-13 tournament on Wednesday.

Manoj's innings consumed only 120 deliveries and included 46 fours, while Shaibaz needed just 116 balls and hit 57 fours to batter the St Phillip's High School attack. Neither batsman was informed of the record during their mammoth partnership, which was put together in a single day, unlike the three days shared by Tendulkar and Kambli.

"We knew our individual scores and were told about the world record only when the innings ended," they told The Hindu. "We feel nice to have broken Sachin and Kambli's record.

"I never knew I was breaking a world record. I was just playing for myself and my school. I only realised when I returned to the pavilion that I'd broken a record by scoring a triple century," said Shaibaz.

"When we were on the 600-run mark, our coach informed us that there were 38 runs left for the world record and instructed us to play well and not get out. We were under pressure and that's why we played slowly," added Manoj.

The closest any Test batting duo came to going past the Tendulkar-Kambli record was when Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara added 624 for the third wicket against South Africa in Sri Lanka earlier this year.

"When we were on the 600-run mark, our coach informed us that there were 38 runs left for the world record and instructed us to play well and not get out. We were under pressure and that's why we played slowly," said Manoj. Shaibaz added: "I was just playing for myself and my school. I only realised when I returned to the pavilion that I'd broken a record by scoring a triple century."

Speaking on the one chance that Manoj gave when on 285, Shaibaaz said: "We deserved that slice of luck. It was our day".

St Phillip's day didn't get much better as the opening bowler Akram picked up 7 for 11 to bowl them out for 21 in seven overs.