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Vizag ODI: Milestones galore for Indians
The Visakhapatnam ODI which India won by 58 runs, has become a landmark one in more ways than one for India, writes Kumud Mehta.
The Visakhapatnam One-Day International (ODI) between India and Pakistan which India won by 58 runs, has become a landmark ODI in many ways for not only India but many Pakistani players.
The man who dominated the match, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has broken and set a handful of records. But following him, several others too have added personal milestones. For a handful their woes carry on. Here’s a listing of records of several players set at the match.
To begin with the venue itself, the Andhra Cricket Association stadium earned the distinction of becoming the 150th ODI venue in the world.
It is also the 37th ODI venue in the country and the second in the city to host a limited overs match.
India recorded their 35th win over Pakistan. The teams have clashed 97 times, where India has faced 58 losses and four ODIs ended with no-result.
The Kochi and Visakhapatnam wins mean India has won two matches in a row against Pakistan in India after 22 years. India had last won two matches in succession in a similar situation in 1983.
India's 356 for nine in 50 overs is the highest ever total against Pakistan, the previous highest total being 349 for 7 in 50 over at Karachi (March 13, 2004).
This also happens to be India third highest total in ODIs. The top five Indian totals of 350-plus are as follows:
Run (ovr) Against Venue Year
376-2 (50 overs) New Zealand Hyderabad (Decc) 1999/00
373-6 (50 overs) Sri Lanka Taunton 1999
356-9 (50 overs) Pakistan Visakhapatnam 2004/05
353-5 (50 overs) New Zealand Hyderabad (Decc) 2003/04
351-3 (50 overs) Kenya Paarl 2001/02
The match aggregate of 654 is the second best between India and Pakistan, next only to 693 (India 349 for seven and Pakistan 344 for eight) at Karachi last year.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's maiden hundred in ODIs established a number of records. His innings of 148 off 123 balls (15 fours and four sixes) is the highest by an Indian against Pakistan. He is closely followed by Sourav Ganguly (141 at Adelaide, 1999/00) and Sachin Tendulkar (141 at Rawalpindi, 2003/04).
Dhoni's innings is, now the highest by an Indian wicketkeeper in ODI, outwitting Rahul Dravid's 145 against Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup and also surpassed the previous highest by an Indian wicketkeeper against Pakistan. Dravid made 99 as a wicketkeeper.
Dhoni is also the second Indian wicketkeeper to have posted a hundred. Dravid has recorded four centuries as a wicketkeeper - two against West Indies and one each against Sri Lanka and UAE.
Dhoni's century off 88 balls is the fastest by an Indian keeper in ODIs, outwitting Dravid's hundred off 90 balls against UAE at Dambulla (July 16, 2004).
Dhoni's 148 is the third highest by a keeper in the ODI history. It figures next only to Adam Gilchrist, who holds the twin positions – first 172 off 126 balls against Zimbabwe at Hobart (2003-04) and 154 off 129 balls against Sri Lanka at Melbourne (1998-99).
