Dhoni yet to hit fifty in T20Is
14 March 2014 5:30 AM IST
Believe it or not, the captain is yet to score a half-century in T20 internationals after having donned the blue jersey in 43 of the 46 matches India have played so far.Sounds weird but Dhoni’s aggregate of 772 runs is most by any batsman without a single fifty in T20 internationals.
Incidentally, his highest score is 48 not out against Australia in a losing cause at the ‘Stadium Australia’ in Sydney. Interestingly, during that particular match, Dhoni was batting on 45 after the completion of the penultimate over but to his utter dismay found that Ravichandran Ashwin consumed four of the six deliveries.
In the remaining two deliveries, he scored three runs to get to 48 not out as India lost by 31 runs. Dhoni has mainly batted at No. 5 or 6 (13 times each) in the T20 internationals which effectively meant that on most occasions, only few overs were left. A testimony to that is remaining not out on 16 occasions out of the 40 times that he went into bat during those 43 games.
The three games that he had missed out were when his jaded body needed rest. He opted out of the 2010 tour of Zimbabwe where India played two T20 internationals under Suresh Raina’s captaincy.
The other T20 game he missed was during India’s tour of West Indies in 2011 when he had opted out of the limited overs series (T20’s and ODis) having played World Cup and IPL back-to-back in four months of gruelling cricket. In the list of most runs without a single half century, Dhoni is followed by South African all-rounder Albie Morkel (521 runs), Gary Wilson (Ireland, 510 runs) and the prolific Hashim Amla (413 runs). Australia’s Brad Haddin (373) and Windies captain Darren Sammy (347) are also in the top-10 list.
Mitchell Johnson doubtful for World T20
Melbourne: Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has a right toe infection and his availability for the World Twenty20 is in question. Cricket Australia said on Thursday a final decision on his inclusion in the squad is yet to be made and his scheduled departure Sunday to Bangladesh may be delayed. Johnson is receiving treatment in Perth for the infection, which developed from a cut following the third test against South Africa in Cape Town. The 32-year-old Johnson led Australia’s 5-0 Ashes home whitewash of England and then the 2-1 away victory over South Africa. CA’s chief medical officer Justin Paoloni says the 32-year-old Johnson will be monitored closely over the next few days ‘until we are happy that the infection has resolved fully.’
Shahid Afridi hopes to regain fitness
LAHORE: Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi said on Thursday he was hopeful of a quick recovery from injury in time for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh next week after his exploits at the Asia Cup. The 34-year-old hurt his groin during the recent one-day tournament, which concluded last week and was also held in Bangladesh.
As a result he will not fly out with the team early Friday, and instead travel on Monday. ‘I am recovering well and (will) hopefully play at least one warm-up match,’ Afridi told reporters. He is set to miss Pakistan’s first warm-up match against New Zealand on Monday. Pakistan’s second warm-up match will be against South Africa on March 19.
One of cricket’s hardest hitters, his sparkling form with the bat helped Pakistan beat arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup, sealing victory in the last over by striking successive sixes. He followed up with a whirlwind 25-ball 59 to anchor a tough 327-run chase against hosts Bangladesh, before Pakistan stumbled in the final to eventual winners Sri Lanka.
But Afridi said Pakistan could still take heart from their victory over India, against whom they will play in their first proper match of the tournament in Dhaka on March 21. ‘The Asia Cup win over India will benefit us,’ said Afridi, but cautioned: ‘We have to be at our best to beat India who will now be with (MS) Dhoni.’
Afridi, who also bowls leg-spin, will be key to Pakistan’s World Twenty20 campaign. In 70 Twenty20 matches, Afridi has 1044 runs and 73 wickets. Afridi was player of the tournament in the inaugural World Twenty20 held in South Africa, with Pakistan finishing runners-up to India. He was man-of-the-match in semifinal and final in Pakistan’s only World T20 triumph in 2009.
Incidentally, his highest score is 48 not out against Australia in a losing cause at the ‘Stadium Australia’ in Sydney. Interestingly, during that particular match, Dhoni was batting on 45 after the completion of the penultimate over but to his utter dismay found that Ravichandran Ashwin consumed four of the six deliveries.
In the remaining two deliveries, he scored three runs to get to 48 not out as India lost by 31 runs. Dhoni has mainly batted at No. 5 or 6 (13 times each) in the T20 internationals which effectively meant that on most occasions, only few overs were left. A testimony to that is remaining not out on 16 occasions out of the 40 times that he went into bat during those 43 games.
The three games that he had missed out were when his jaded body needed rest. He opted out of the 2010 tour of Zimbabwe where India played two T20 internationals under Suresh Raina’s captaincy.
The other T20 game he missed was during India’s tour of West Indies in 2011 when he had opted out of the limited overs series (T20’s and ODis) having played World Cup and IPL back-to-back in four months of gruelling cricket. In the list of most runs without a single half century, Dhoni is followed by South African all-rounder Albie Morkel (521 runs), Gary Wilson (Ireland, 510 runs) and the prolific Hashim Amla (413 runs). Australia’s Brad Haddin (373) and Windies captain Darren Sammy (347) are also in the top-10 list.
Mitchell Johnson doubtful for World T20
Melbourne: Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has a right toe infection and his availability for the World Twenty20 is in question. Cricket Australia said on Thursday a final decision on his inclusion in the squad is yet to be made and his scheduled departure Sunday to Bangladesh may be delayed. Johnson is receiving treatment in Perth for the infection, which developed from a cut following the third test against South Africa in Cape Town. The 32-year-old Johnson led Australia’s 5-0 Ashes home whitewash of England and then the 2-1 away victory over South Africa. CA’s chief medical officer Justin Paoloni says the 32-year-old Johnson will be monitored closely over the next few days ‘until we are happy that the infection has resolved fully.’
Shahid Afridi hopes to regain fitness
LAHORE: Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi said on Thursday he was hopeful of a quick recovery from injury in time for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh next week after his exploits at the Asia Cup. The 34-year-old hurt his groin during the recent one-day tournament, which concluded last week and was also held in Bangladesh.
As a result he will not fly out with the team early Friday, and instead travel on Monday. ‘I am recovering well and (will) hopefully play at least one warm-up match,’ Afridi told reporters. He is set to miss Pakistan’s first warm-up match against New Zealand on Monday. Pakistan’s second warm-up match will be against South Africa on March 19.
One of cricket’s hardest hitters, his sparkling form with the bat helped Pakistan beat arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup, sealing victory in the last over by striking successive sixes. He followed up with a whirlwind 25-ball 59 to anchor a tough 327-run chase against hosts Bangladesh, before Pakistan stumbled in the final to eventual winners Sri Lanka.
But Afridi said Pakistan could still take heart from their victory over India, against whom they will play in their first proper match of the tournament in Dhaka on March 21. ‘The Asia Cup win over India will benefit us,’ said Afridi, but cautioned: ‘We have to be at our best to beat India who will now be with (MS) Dhoni.’
Afridi, who also bowls leg-spin, will be key to Pakistan’s World Twenty20 campaign. In 70 Twenty20 matches, Afridi has 1044 runs and 73 wickets. Afridi was player of the tournament in the inaugural World Twenty20 held in South Africa, with Pakistan finishing runners-up to India. He was man-of-the-match in semifinal and final in Pakistan’s only World T20 triumph in 2009.
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