Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has added another feather to his illustrious cap as he completed the century of the fifties in international cricket. Coming to bat at No. 6, Dhoni smashed a crucial half-century against Australia in the first One-day International (ODI) of the five-match series in Chennai, on Friday.
The 36-year old achieved this feat during his innings of 79 runs off 88 balls that included eight fours and two monstrous sixes. This was Dhoni's 66th ODI fifty in his 303 ODI in India's outfit. He has also scored 33 half-centuries in Tests and one in T20 internationals for India.
Overall, MS becomes the 14th player to score 100 fifties across all three formats of international cricket (ODIs, Tests, and T20Is).
Former Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar leads the list of scoring most fifties in international cricket with a total of 164 half-centuries against his name. Dhoni is fourth Indian batsman to achieve the feat after Sachin Tendulkar, followed by Rahul Dravid (145) and then Sourav Ganguly (106). However, he also becomes the second wicketkeeper-batsman after Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara to achieve this milestone.
Opting to bat first, Team India were struggling for 87/5 in 22 overs at one stage, Pandya and Dhoni then stitched up a crucial 118-run partnership for the sixth wicket to get India back on the track.
Dhoni was out in last over but by then India had recovered from five for 87 runs and finished on 281 for seven in 50 overs.
Earlier in the Sri Lanka series, Dhoni registered a few more records in the 50-over format as he completed his 100th ODI stumping and achieved the most number (73) of unbeaten knock.
