VISAKHAPATNAM, India, 6 April 2005 — Mahendra Dhoni cracked a blistering maiden one-day century to help India to a 58-run win over Pakistan in the second international yesterday.
The wicketkeeper hammered 16 fours and four sixes in his 123-ball 148 to give India a 2-0 lead in the six-game series.
Dhoni shared a 96-run stand for the second wicket with Virender Sehwag (74 off 40 balls) and 149 for the fourth with Rahul Dravid (52) as the hosts amassed 356 for nine before bowling out Pakistan for 298. It was India’s highest score against Pakistan and their third-best ever. Pakistan made a brisk start and were in the hunt until all-rounder Abdul Razzaq’s dismissal for a fighting 88 in the 28th over made the score 176 for four.
Kamran Akmal compiled a gritty 41 and Yousuf Youhana hit four huge sixes in his 56-ball 71. But it was all over for the visitors when he became the seventh wicket to fall with 94 still needed off 12 overs. Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra picked up four for 72 and occasional spinner Yuvraj Singh claimed three for 55.
Earlier, India opener Sehwag stroked two boundaries in the first over from Mohammad Sami before Sachin Tendulkar was run out for two following a direct hit by Youhana.
Dhoni, from the eastern state of Jharkhand, went in ahead of Saurav Ganguly who is struggling for form. “We knew it would be good for batting and decided to promote Dhoni up the order because he can hit the ball,” Ganguly said. “I haven’t been in great touch and I would’ve taken a longer time to settle in. He played a fantastic innings.”
The 23-year-old Dhoni, with an average of 7.33 from his previous four One-Day Internationals, got off the mark with a superb off drive. Sehwag also punished the bowlers from the other end. The 26-year-old lofted Sami over extra cover for six and hoisted seamer Rana Naved into the stands at mid-wicket.
Sehwag raised his 17th one-day 50 and punished occasional leg-spinner Shahid Afridi for four consecutive boundaries. Naved finally had him caught at mid-wicket.
Dhoni lofted Arshad Khan for a one-bounce four and then swept him over the on side for six.Getting good support from Dravid, he reached his century off 88 balls with a single to mid-on and celebrated by punching the air.
Dhoni, who received a life on 126 when Akmal missed a stumping chance off Afridi, was finally dismissed when he tried to slog Mohammad Hafeez over the infield.
India lost quick wickets after his departure. Getting to the huge target was always going to be a tall order for Pakistan, especially after opener Afridi was bowled by Nehra for a second-ball duck. Razzaq, batting at number three, struck several lusty blows in his 93-ball knock although Salman Butt (36), Inzamam ul-Haq (16), Shoaib Malik (12) and Hafeez (seven) did not last long.
Pakistan finally succumbed to the climbing asking rate and the steady fall of wickets.
