The former Pakistan captain and coach Misbah ul Haq recently shared a very interesting story about MS Dhoni on the Pakistani cricket show “A Sports”. The story is from the time when Dhoni had not even made his debut in international cricket.
Dhoni had actually toured Kenya and Zimbabwe as a part of India A side in 2004, and they had played a few games against Pakistan A.
Misbah ul Haq and the former Pakistan fast bowler Rao Iftikhar Anjum were there with Pakistan A side and Misbah recalled Dhoni batted so ruthlessly that some of the sixes that he hit went out of the stadium and new balls had to be brought several times. There were three games and Dhoni scored hundreds in two of them.
Pakistan coach and players thought MS Dhoni might not be as good as Rao Iftikhar rated him
A year later when Dhoni was picked for the Indian team and Pakistan toured India, Rao Iftikhar told the then Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer that this young Indian wicketkeeper-batsman is very dangerous and Pakistan should have a solid gameplan against him.
But, Dhoni got out cheaply in the first game and the Pakistani team as well as the coaching staff thought Dhoni might not be as good as Rao Iftikhar told them and they trolled Rao Iftikhar for conceding hundreds against a rookie.
In the very next match, MS Dhoni batted at no. 3 and thumped 148 runs off just 123 balls against Pakistan at Vizag which was his first-ever international hundred. All the Pakistani bowlers, which included some big names, were carted around the park.
Misbah said Rao Iftikhar immediately went to Woolmer and all his teammates who had trolled him after the last game and told them this is exactly how Dhoni smashed hundreds against Pakistan A bowlers and this is exactly why Pakistan A conceded hundreds off his bat. Eventually, Rao Iftikhar had the last laugh.
MS Dhoni – The Nightmare of Every opposition😎💥#MSDhoni • #Dhoni • @msdhoni pic.twitter.com/NlS3eLyUZo
— MS DHONI Zealotâ„¢ (@msdhonizealot) November 13, 2021
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MS Dhoni, later, played many significant innings against Pakistan and scored a few more hundreds as well, but that innings in Vizag is unforgettable for the Indian fans as it started the legacy of one of the greatest Indian cricketers.
