Misbah hails Dhoni’s unbeaten ton under pressure – Cricket News Update
Pakistan skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 for his heroic innings of 113 not out in the first One Day International of the three-match series here at the MA Chidambaram
Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai.
Though the gritty unbeaten century could not help the hosts salvage a six-wicket defeat at the hands of the archrivals, Misbah said that Dhoni’s knock had come under pressure and at a time when the wicket was also not helping the batsmen
much.
"It was more difficult to play in the first half. There was lot of moisture but very well played by Dhoni," the visiting skipper said at the post-match presentation ceremony in Chennai on Sunday. "He single-handedly took the game away
from us," Misbah conceded.
After Misbah won the crucial toss and opted to bowl first under overcast conditions, southpaw seamer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Junaid-Khan-c77037 (9-1-43-4) ran riot with one of the new ball, sacking four of the top-five Indian batsmen for single digit scores inside
ten overs.
Coming out in the 10th over when the home side was down in the dumps at 29 for 5, Dhoni played a valiant knock of 113 not out, rescuing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 from a fragile start and push them to a respectable finish, 227 for 6. The Ranchi
wicketkeeper batsman smashed seven fours and three sixes during his 125-ball stay at the crease, sharing an unbeaten stand of 125 runs with spin bowling all-rounder http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Ashwin-c2228 (31*) for the seventh wicket.
Later, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nasir-Jamshed-c78752 upstaged Dhoni’s heroics playing a match-winning innings of 101 not out, as the tourists secured a comfortable six-wicket victory and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The Indian skipper’s
vigil proved bigger in number, but Jamshed’s unbeaten ton enjoyed greater distance as it allowed the Men in Green win the first bilateral ODI encounter between the nemeses in five years.
"[Nasir] Jamshed played brilliantly for us," said Misbah. "[He] played an extremely good knock and showed the way by finishing the game," added the Pakistan skipper.
The second ODI of the three-match series will be played in Kolkata on Thursday, January 3, 2012.
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