In a match which was all sorts of bizarre, India failed to chase down 190 against West Indies in the fourth One-Day International of their series in Antigua on Sunday, going down by 11 runs.
On a difficult pitch on which only Ajinkya Rahane and Mahendra Singh Dhoni put up a substantial contributions, the latter’s knock of 54 flummoxed everyone – it consumed 114 balls and was scored at a strike rate of 47! It was the second-slowest fifty by an Indian batsman in an ODI but it would have all been forgiven if Dhoni had taken the team home. That unfortunately, did not prove the case as he perished on the last ball of the penultimate over.
Commentator Harsha Bhogle’s Twitter feed provided an apt representation of the match:
Looks like the good day in Derby for Indian cricket will be followed by one in Antigua.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 2, 2017
It's Dhoni, so there must be a plan here.........
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 2, 2017
India have breathed life into a game that didn't seem to have any.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 2, 2017
Still trying to get my head round this game.......
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 2, 2017
Well sometimes you take the result for granted.........
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 2, 2017
The West Indies win and I am not sure they thought they would at the break
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 2, 2017
And, of course, of course, there was the inevitable Dhoni bashing.
MS Dhoni:
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) July 2, 2017
54 off 114 balls
1 four
0 sixes
Strike rate of 47.36
Truly one of the strangest innings you will ever see#WIvIND #Cricket
From denying Rayudu the strike to letting Kuldeep bat in last two over, Dhoni has changed. #IndvsWI
— Rishav Narang (@crickfan20) July 2, 2017
Old wine didn't taste nice. @msdhoni #INDvWI
— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) July 2, 2017
And when there’s Dhoni-bashing, the defenders need to stand up as well:
Team India 178 All Out. West Indies Win By 11 Runs. Can't Blame #Dhoni Alone, Entire Team Is Responsible.#INDvWI #WIvIND #INDvsWI #WIvsIND
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) July 2, 2017
Its really surprising the way Dhoni was being praised a day before and the way he is being criticised today.
— Rajeshwar (@rajeswar_nayak) July 3, 2017
Double headed people. #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/PcTcWBhVyR
Acc To Self-Proclaimed Cricket Experts, #Dhoni 54(114) Is Responsible For Loss, While 3 Top Order Batsmen Who Scored 10(38) Are Not? #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/MW3isY4XMp
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) July 2, 2017
To sum up:
So the series came alive when everyone was asleep #WIvIND
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) July 3, 2017
