Stat Attack – Top 5 Slowest Half-Centuries By Indian Players In ODI’s
Dec 31, 2018 at 1:59 PM
For a player who has created his own legacy as arguably the greatest finishers in the game, Sunday (July 2) was an unusual day.
Former India skipper MS Dhoni scored his 64th half-century against West Indies in the fourth of the ongoing five-match One-Day International series but it was one of the most uncharacteristic knocks by his standards. The 35-year old, who had become the first Indian batsman to smash 200 sixes in the ODIs during his 78-runs knock in the last ODI, scored the second slowest fifty for India in the limited overs cricket. He took 108 balls to reach the feat.
The stage was set for Dhoni to rescue the team once again but the World Cup-winning skipper never managed to get going in the innings. Surprisingly, he managed to hit just one boundary during his 108-ball stay, as he scored India’s slowest half-century in 16 years.
So here is a look at the 5 slowest half-centuries from Indian batsmen:
5. Mohammad Kaif (98 balls):
Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif is fifth on this list for the knock that came against New Zealand in the super-six stage of the 2003 World Cup. Chasing 146, India were staring down the barrel after being reduced to 21 for three but Kaif along with Rahul Dravid took India home with an unbeaten partnership of 129 runs.
With the team in such a precarious situation, Kaif adopted a cautious approach and reached his fifty in 98 balls. He scored 68 off 129 balls while Dravid remained unbeaten on 53 off 89.
4. Sourav Ganguly (104 balls):
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly scored an uncharacteristic fifty against Bangladesh during the disastrous day for Indian cricket in the 2007 World Cup. With wickets falling at one end, Ganguly never found the situation to play his usual shots and scored his fifty in 104 balls. His knock finally came to an end on 66 off 129 balls.
India could manage only 191 on that fateful afternoon, as Bangladesh chased down the score to register its first and only win till date on their illustrious opponents in World Cup.
3. Sourav Ganguly (105):
Sourav Ganguly once again finds a place in this list for his knock that came against Sri Lanka in 2005 at Dambulla. The left-handed batsman had reached his fifty in 105 balls and was dismissed after scoring 51 off 110 balls, as India scored 220 for eight in the allotted 50 overs.
In reply, Sri Lanka, led by Mahela Jayawardene’s unbeaten 94, chased down the total in the 48th over.
2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (108)
The World Cup-winning skipper compiled his 64th ODI fifty against West Indies in 108 balls. Chasing a relatively easy target of 189, the Men in Blue kept on losing wickets at regular intervals which never allowed Dhoni to play the big shots. He was dismissed for 54 off 114 balls, as India failed to chase down the total by 11 runs.
1. Sadagoppan Ramesh (110 balls):
The record of slowest fifty by an Indian batsman is held by former opener Sadagoppan Ramesh for his knock against Kenya that came in 1999 at Nairobi. The left-handed batsman had reached his fifty off 110 balls and was out after facing seven more balls without scoring. Barring R Vijay Bharadwaj, who remained unbeaten on 41 off 30 balls, none of the other batsmen had got going in that match, as India scored 220 for seven in the allotted 50 overs.
But the scored proved more than enough in the end, as Team India bowled the hosts out for 162.