http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imran-Khan-c64237 all praise for centurion MS Dhoni – Cricket News Update
Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan on Sunday hailed Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s unbeaten 113 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 in the first ODI at Chennai as one of the best knocks played under pressure.
After putting the hosts into bat in the unfavourable overcast conditions, Pakistan’s southpaw seamer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Junaid-Khan-c77037 scythed through the Indian top order, to leave the home side reeling at 29 for 5 inside the first ten overs of the match.
With half of the team back in the dugout, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 showed some initiative. Considering the situation, Dhoni started his innings in an extremely cautious way, taking almost 90 deliveries to reach the 50-run mark, hitting only two fours and one six.
The wicketkeeper batsman, however, displayed his array of attacking strokes in the latter half of his innings, finishing unbeaten on 113 off 125 balls, hitting seven muscular fours and three lofty sixes. The Indian skipper shared valuable stands of 73 and 125 runs with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Ashwin-c2228 (31 not out) for the sixth and seventh wicket respectively, taking the side to a respectable total of 227 for 5.
The tally, however, proved to be insufficient as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Younis-Khan-c98325 (58) comfortably took Pakistan home in the penultimate over, with six wickets to spare.
"I think he played really well and in fact it was an exceptional innings under pressure. But for his knock, this match would have been over in two-three hours," said Imran Khan, the 1992 world cup winning captain of Pakistan. "Under the circumstances, this was one of the best innings," he added further.
The cricketer turned politician also had a word of praise for rookie Indian pacer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bhuvneshwar-Kumar-c48045, saying, "I think he has the ability to swing the ball and he has done well."
"For a fast bowler to do well, you need to have speed in the air and ability to move the ball. Or you have to swing the ball and be able to extract extra bounce," he added further.
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