Dhoni’s ton takes India to 301/7
By IANSFriday, December 18, 2009
NAGPUR - A captain’s knock of 107 from Mahendra Singh Dhoni helped India recover from a poor start and post 301 for seven in 50 overs against Sri Lanka in the second One-Day International here Friday.
Opting to bat first at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium, India were reduced to 132 for four before Dhoni’s sixth ODI century guided the home team to put up a challenging total on board. Suresh Raina (68) and Virat Kohli (54) also scored valuable half-centuries.
For Sri Lanka, debutant off-spinner Suraj Randiv picked up three for 51.
Dhoni and Raina (68) displayed some powerful hitting in their 126-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Dhoni, who got three lives including a clear stumping chance off mysterious spinner Ajantha Mendis when on 49, hit two sixes and eight fours during his 111-ball knock. Raina smashed three sixes and four boundaries in his 55-ball innings as India hammered 102 runs in the last 10 overs.
On a batting friendly track, India lost two quick wickets early on and were reduced to 19 for two but Sachin Tendulkar (43) and Kohli added 62 for the third-wicket to steady the innings.
Tendulkar, who made his debut on this very date against Pakistan in 1989, also completed his 20 years in One-Day Internationals.
Opener Virender Sehwag (4), who struck a blazing century in the last match in Rajot, was caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara while going for a cut short off seamer Chanaka Welegedara in the match’s first over.
Sangakkara had a unimpressive day behind the stumps as he missed two easy chances of catch and stumping in successive deliveries that allowed Dhoni to score a century.
