When MS Dhoni smashed 5 sixes in 8 balls and picked a wicket in Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, a month before India debut | Cricket News
After a seven-year hiatus, Cricket Hong Kong confirmed the return of the once-popular Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, a six-a-side tournament, on Monday.
Returning for the first time since 2017, the tournament will host 12 teams between November 1 to 3, including India who will make their first appearance since 2012. Australia, Bangladesh, Pakan, England, hosts Hong Kong, Nepal, New Zealand, Oman, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates are the other participants in the upcoming edition.
Several global cricketing stars have appeared in the innovative tournament since its inception in 1992, including Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Malik, Sanath Jayasuriya, etc.
Dhoni’s Hong Kong visit
In one such edition in 2004, the Indian team consed of a host of cricketers who had represented the national side in ODIs and Tests and were captained Nikhil Chopra. While Pravin Amre donned the wicketkeeping gloves, a young uncapped MS Dhoni was also part of the Indian squad.
🚨TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT🚨
Team India is gearing up to smash it out of the park at HK6! 🇮🇳💥
Prepare for explosive power hitting and a storm of sixes that will electrify the crowd! 🔥
Expect More Teams, More Sixes, More Excitement, and MAXIMUM THRILLS! 🔥🔥
HK6 is back from 1st to… pic.twitter.com/P5WDkksoJn
— Cricket Hong Kong, China (@CricketHK) October 7, 2024
The then 23-year-old Dhoni opened the batting for India in all five games during a forgettable campaign where they lost all matches. Dhoni played quick knocks in all pool games as India suffered defeats to the UAE, Pakan, South Africa and even hosts Hong Kong.
But the young Dhoni reserved his best for the last, a near-inconsequential third-place Playoff match against South Africa. Batting first, Dhoni pummelled five sixes and a four against the Proteas, retiring out on 36 off eight deliveries. The tournament rules insed that a player must retire once they get to 36 runs. Batters are also forced to retire at 31, but can come back in once all others have been dismissed or have retired.
While India went onto lose the match four wickets, Dhoni was the only bowler to extract a wicket, cleaning up Johan Wan der Wath. The former India skipper also scalped another wicket against South Africa in the pool match.
Dhoni finished the tournament as India’s highest run-getter and third-highest overall with 112 runs. Interestingly, the hard-hitting batter from Ranchi would make his international debut the following month, on December 23, 2004, against Bangladesh in Chattogram.
