India Vs West Indies: MS Dhoni slams slowest fifty by an Indian since 2001

North Sound, July 3: India's veteran batsman and proven match finisher Mahendra Singh Dhoni failed to take his side home in a low-scoring fourth ODI against West Indies on Sunday (July 2).

As the much talked-about Indian top-order collapsed, team relied heavily over Dhoni who began in his trademark slow and cautious style.

India Vs West Indies: MS Dhoni slams slowest fifty by an Indian since 2001

But the Ranchi dasher, who will turn 36 in a few days' time, looked a pale shadow of his previous self and failed to steer India home despite spending considerable time at the crease.

Dhoni scored his career's 64th ODI fifty but also earned the dubious distinction of scoring his career's slowest. The right-handed batsman reached his half-century in 108 deliveries, slowest by an Indian since June 2001. He scored his first boundary in the 103rd ball he faced.

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly held the previous record for his 105-ball fifty against Sri Lanka in 2005. To add insult to the injury, Dhoni's presence till the 49th over was of no use as visitors were bundled out for 178 in their run chase of a paltry 190.

Dhoni was dismissed for 54 off 114 deliveries on the final ball of the 49th over thus dashing India's hopes of winning the game. The stumper-batsman eventually holed out to Alzarri Joseph at he boundary ropes off Kesrick Williams off the last ball of the 49th over, leaving the team struggling at 176 for eight.

India needed 31 runs off the last five overs with both Dhoni and Hardik Pandya (20 off 21) in the middle but the visitors were all out for 178 in 49.4 overs. But Pandya's dismissal followed by Ravindra Jadeja's over ambitious shot proved costly for India.

With all hopped pinned on Dhoni, the finisher couldn't take India home as 16 were required from the last two overs.

Dhoni's strike rate in this innings is his lowest in ODis when he has scored at least 25 runs. The previous-lowest was against New Zealand in 2010 when he scored 38 (75) and had a strike rate of 50.66.

OneIndia News