• Source:JND

JE Sports Desk: In his cricketing career, MS Dhoni was part of some incredible victories against Pakistan. With some memorable performances in both Test matches and limited-overs cricket, Dhoni displayed his calm and composed leadership in high-pressure encounters against Pakistan.

With his knocks, he also garnered respect from across the border as well. Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who almost won the 2007 T20 World Cup for Pakistan, narrated an old incident about Dhoni where he was part of the India A squad.

It was the year of 2004, when the sides of India A, Pakistan A and Kenya played a triangular series. Dhoni was the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 362 in 6 innings at an average of 72.40 whereas Misbah was the second best at 348 in 7 innings at an average of 87.

A year later when Dhoni was selected for the Indian team and Pakistan toured India, Rao Iftikhar (part of Pakistan A in 2004) told the then Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer that this young Indian wicketkeeper-batsman (Dhoni) was very dangerous and Pakistan needed to 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 felt that Dhoni was not as good as he had told them and they trolled Rao for letting an average cricketer like him scoring a century against their side.

However, the tables turned in the next game as Dhoni scored a monumental 148 off 123 at Visakhapatnam which was his first international century as well.

Misbah said that Rao Iftikhar immediately went up to Woolmer and all his teammates, who had trolled him after the last game, and said, "Enj Maarya Si Saanu..." in Punjabi which meant them that this was how Dhoni scored hundreds against Pakistan A bowlers as the dressing room cracked up.

Notably, Misbah narrated this incident on a private channel in Pakistan. Check out the video here:

Dhoni led the Indian team against Pakistan on several occasions. Under his captaincy, India won the ICC World Twenty20 in 2007, defeating Pakistan in the final. He also led India to a series victory against Pakistan in Pakistan in 2006.