This was Mahendra Singh Dhoni's first List 'A' century for Jharkhand and his 17th List 'A' century overall, which includes 10 in ODIs, and first in domestic one-dayers since February 2005.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni registered his maiden List 'A' hundred for Jharkhand as he steered his team to a comprehensive 78-run victory over Chhattisgarh in a Group D Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day fixture in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Dhoni survived some anxious moments en route a 107-ball 129 but the effort was just enough to take his team to victory.
Chhattisgarh skipper Mohammed Kaif won the toss and sent Jharkhand in to bat before his bowlers reduced the opposition to 43 for five in the 15th over.
Former India captain Dhoni rallied Jharkhan along with Shahbaz Nadeem (53) as the duo put on a 151-run seventh-wicket partnership that came off 166 balls.
The Indian icon's career-best in domestic one-dayers was studded with six sixes and 10 boundaries but it was not a typical Dhoni knock as he survived a few close calls before reaching his first century for Jharkhand.
He got his first lifeline before he had opened his account after he survived a confident caught-behind appeal against Abhuday Kant Singh (4 for 33), the wrecker-in-chief for Chhattisgarh.
Later, he survived a close leg-before shout against debutant leg-spinner Shubham Agarwal when he was on 34.
On 95, Dhoni was dropped by Kaif, a regulation catch at short extra cover.
Dhoni stayed on till the last ball and was finally dismissed by a Shourabh Kharwar (1 for 53) when a skier was taken safely by glovesman Manoj Singh.
But by then, Dhoni had rescued Jharkhand and guided them to a healthy 243 for nine. He brought up his century from 94 balls with a six off seamer Pankaj Rao in the 48th over.
This was Dhoni's 17th List 'A' century, which includes 10 in ODIs, and first in domestic one-dayers since February 2005 when he had scored an unbeaten 102 for India Seniors in the Challengers Trophy against India B.
Dhoni scored a century for Bihar against Assam during the Ranji One-Dayers in 2003-04 but never had scored a century for Jharkhand. He has also made two centuries each for East Zone and India 'A'.
In reply, Chhattisgarh's innings folded for 165 in 38.4 overs as Dhoni brilliantly shuffled his bowlers with Varun Aaron and Shahbaz Nadeem claiming three wickets each.
Reduced to 69 for three inside 16 overs, Kaif looked to build the innings but Dhoni ended the Chhattisgarh captain's stay with a run out for 23 before Nadeem ran through the tail with his three for 36.
This was Jharkhand's first win in two matches, while Chhattisgarh began their campaign with a loss.
Meanwhile, Karnataka registered their second successive victory when they beat Services by four wickets at Jadavpur University second campus ground at Salt Lake.
They restricted Services to 231 for seven after putting them in to bat before racing to the target with 35 balls to spare with Pavan Deshpande, Robin Uthappa and Aniruddha Joshi hitting half-centuries.
Yuvraj scores duck as Assam upset Harbhajan-led Punjab
Veteran Yuvraj Singh looked completely out of sorts as he failed to trouble the scorers with minnows Assam registering an upset win against Punjab in a Group A League encounter of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Batting first, Punjab managed 243 in 49.4 overs -- a score which was 20 runs below par according to skipper Harbhajan Singh.
Assam scored the runs in 48.4 overs to register a three-wicket victory courtesy of their outstation recruits KB Arun Karthik (63) and Amit Verma (65)
Young Under-19 player Shubhman Gill scored 121 off 129 balls and added 141 runs for the fourth wicket with Gurkeerat Singh Mann (58) after Manan Vohra (1), Mandeep Singh (4) and Yuvraj (0) were back in the pavilion. Subhman hit 11 boundaries and a six off 129 balls.
Punjab were reeling at 19 for three inside the first six overs with medium pacer Arup Das (3-27) doing the damage.
When Assam batted, Harbhajan Singh, who took two for 42 in 10 overs, was the only bowler who tried keeping things under control but Arun Karthik and Verma added 92 runs for the fourth wicket, which turned out to be crucial.
Verma anchored the chase hitting two fours and two sixes off 91 balls before he was dismissed when the scores were level.
Image: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Photograph: PTI
