In the fourth match of the ongoing ODI series between West Indies and India, MS Dhoni scored 54 runs off 114 balls, at a strike rate of 47.36.
When we talk about Dhoni, we think of helicopter shots, big hits, power-hitting, and this is the biggest reason why fans were shocked and said when Dhoni consumed so many balls and in the end, couldn’t finish the game. Over the years, we have seen Dhoni take all the pressure on himself and emerge out as a winner at the end of the game, more often than not.
But, in the fourth ODI, when India needed 14 runs to win of 7 balls, Dhoni, while trying to hit a six, was caught at long on. And when Dhoni got out the match was at such a stage the only he could win it for India from there. And, that’s exactly what happened. The moment Dhoni got out, all hopes were gone and India lost the match by 11 runs.
MS Dhoni’s fifty, which he scored in the fourth ODI, is now the slowest fifty ever by an Indian batsman in ODI cricket. Dhoni broke Ganguly’s unwanted record of slowest fifty (105 balls in 2005 against Sri Lanka).
Ishwar Maraj of Canada holds the record for scoring the all-time slowest half-century. It took 148 deliveries for him to put 50 on the scoreboard in 2003 World Cup match against South Africa.
Here are the top 10 slow half-centuries scored by Indian batsmen:
1. MS Dhoni – against West Indies off 108 balls (2017)Dhoni – against West Indies off 108 balls (2017)
2. Sourav Ganguly – against Sri Lanka off 105 balls (2005)
3. Sourav Ganguly – against Bangladesh off 104 balls (2007)
4. Mohammad Kaif – against New Zealand off 98 balls (2003)
5. Mohammad Kaif – against Zimbabwe off 97 balls (2005)
6. Ravindra Jadeja – against Australia off 96 balls (2009)
7. Sachin Tendulkar – against South Africa off 95 balls (2007)
8. VVS Laxman – against New Zealand off 95 balls (2001)
9. Sourav Ganguly – against Zimbabwe off 95 balls (2001)
10. Ambati Rayudu – against Zimbabwe off 93 balls (2016
