E Patrakar

India’s One-Day International captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the main heading of all news papers as well as leading news for media. Since his stars are on peak. Some days ago Dhoni was awarded India’s biggest sport award ‘Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna’ when he was playing in Sri Lanka. He is at no. one position in recent updated ICC ranking. And now M.S. Dhoni named as ODI Player of the Year 2008 at the ICC Awards ceremony held in Dubai. While voice captain Yuvraj Singh won Twenty20 International Performance of the Year award. His amazing performance was six sixes in one over during the World Twenty20.

In the race of the ODI Player of the Year award other competitors of MS Dhoni were little master Sachin Tendulkar, Pakistan batsman Mohammed Yousuf and Australia fast bowler Nathan Bracken. Indian captain played 39 ODIs from 9th August 2007 to 12th August 2008 that is voting period. He scored 1,298 runs with strike rate of 82.46 and an average of 49.92. In this period he made a century and nine fifties.

The awards voting academy choose Yuvraj Singh for ‘Twenty20 International Performance of the Year award’ for his most impressive performance in the last 12 months.
The other award winners are:
Women’s Player of the Year: Charlotte Edwards
Emerging Player of the Year: Ajantha Mendis
Cricketer of the Year: Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Test Player of the Year: Dale Steyn
Spirit of Cricket: Sri Lanka
Associate Player of the Year: Ryan ten Doeschate
Umpire of the Year: Simon Taufel
Source

India defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets with 19 balls remaining. However Sri Lanka already qualified for final. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. Sanath Jayasuriya hit 43 runs while Chamara Kapugedera gave contribution of 75 runs in 78 balls. Sri Lankan skipper played a captaincy inning. He made 50 runs and faced 63 balls; on the other hand Chamara Silva played only 56 balls to made same runs. Thus Sir Lanka gave target of 309 runs to India.

This match was very important for India to take ticket for final. Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag gave again flying start. Gautam Gambhir made 68 runs but Virender Sehwag hits only 42. Despite it Suresh Raina played his natural game and made valuable 54 runs. M.S. Dhoni also played an important role in victory over Sri Lanka. Now India will take on Sri Lanka in final of Asia Cup 2008 on 6th July.