IND vs PAK: "He Wasn't Able To Move Sideways..." - Sanjay Bangar Recalls MS Dhoni Playing In Pain Against Pakistan During 2016 Asia Cup
Published - 10 Sep 2023, 06:21 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:18 AM
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar recalled an interesting anecdote involving legendary skipper MS Dhoni from the 2016 edition of the Asia Cup. Sanjay Bangar revealed that MS Dhoni made him available for selection against Pakistan despite struggling with the injury.
MS Dhoni sustained the injury while lifting weights in the gym before the match against Pakistan. The selection committee immediately included Parthiv Patel in the squad. However, the wicketkeeper-batter opted to play the match despite not being fully fit.
No Way Possible That MS Dhoni Could’ve Play – Sanjay Bangar
Sanjay Bangar emphasized that MS Dhoni pushed himself to play through the pain and contribute as much as possible, which demonstrates his commitment to the team.
“Actions speak louder than words. It was no way possible that MS (Dhoni) could’ve play through the Asia cup, and the match against Pakistan. He wasn’t able to move sideways, he wasn’t able to run.”
“Despite that, he wanted to show that he was there for the team. He ran the park. He did everything he could. A lot of it is unsaid, players know the importance of this game,” Sanjat Bangar said.
The Men in Blue registered a convincing five-wicket victory during the match. The Indian bowlers bundled out the opposition for just 86 runs in 17.3 overs. Virat Kohli played a match-winning knock to help the team finish the game. Dhoni scored an unbeaten seven runs off three balls.
India-Pakistan Involve In Exciting Games In Recent Times
The two neighbouring teams haven’t played in a bilateral series over the last decade. However, they participated in some exciting matches at ICC and ACC tournaments. India beat Pakistan in the 2016 World Cup at home. However, they suffered a loss during the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
Pakistan registered two wins and two losses in four T20Is during this period in 2019. The Babar Azam-led team ended their T20 World Cup losing streak against India with a convincing 10-wicket victory in Dubai in 2021 and also secured a win against India in the Super 4 stage of last year’s Asia Cup.
About the Author
Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla... Read more
