MS Dhoni birthday: Five most memorable ODI innings of Mr Ice Man

1. 91 n.o. vs Sri Lanka

This is, perhaps, the most significant of Dhoni's ODI innings. It came on that fateful April 2 at the Wankhede Stadium in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka. Dhoni did not have a great tournament till then but showed gumption to promote himself to No 4, till then occupied by Yuvraj Singh. Dhoni played a brilliant innings and along with Gautam Gambhir took India close to victory and finished off the chase with a massvie six of Nuwan Kulasekhara over long-on. India brought the World Cup home after 28 years.

183 vs Sri Lanka

The knock showed us the destructive abilities of MS Dhoni as a batsman as early as 2005. Sri Lanka made 298 in 50 overs with Kumar Sangakkara making a hundred in the third ODI of the seven-match series at Jaipur. It was also one of those rare instances when Dhoni came to bat at No 3 in an ODI after the departure of Sachin Tendulkar. Those days Rahul Dravid was India's No 3 in ODIs. Dhoni manhandled Lankan en route to 183, till date the highest score by a wicketkeeper batsman in ODIs. And India took a 3-0 lead in the series.

113 vs Pakistan

It was one of those rare instances when Dhoni's knock ended up in a losing cause. India were reduced to 29 for five at Chennai in 2012 and it was on Dhoni to take India to a respectable total. Dhoni made 113 off 125 balls to ensure that India lasted the full 50 overs and raised 227 for six. But the total was not enough as Pakistan notched up a six-wicket win with opener Nasir Jamshed making a hundred and Younis Khan a 58. But Dhoni was man of the match.

4. 44 n.o. vs Australia

It was not a big knock. But helped India remain in the race for a final berth of the Commonwealth Bank tri-series also involving Australia and Sri Lanka in 2012. Dhoni kept India's chase of 270 with a composed innings that saw him crawling to 33 off 55 balls before the final over. India required 13 runs off the last over bowled by Clint McKay. Dhoni hammered McKay for a six in the third ball off the over and then secured the victory. That six was measured an incredible 112 meter, the longest yet at the Adelaide Oval.

5. 45 n.o. vs Sri Lanka

After restricting Sri Lanka to a meagre 201 in the final of the tri-series at the Queens Park Oval, Trinidad, in 2013, India were on course for an easy victory. With Rohit Sharma marshalling the chase, they were 139 for 3 in the 32nd over. But the dismissal of Rohit changed the whole scenario as India were reduced to 182 for 9 with last man Ishant Sharma keeping Dhoni company. India needed 15 runs off the final over bowled by Shaminda Eranga. But for Dhoni it was all easy, smoking two sixes and a four to take India to title win.

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