New Delhi: Just days after combining with Bhuvneshwar Kumar to help Indian claim a 3-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in second ODI, the former Indian captain paired up with Rohit Sharma to put an unbroken 157-run stand for fifth wicket to help Virat Kohli and Co secure 3-0 series win.
Opener Rohit Sharma registered a century while speedster Jasprit Bumrah secured his maiden five-wicket haul to power Team India to a series-clinching win.
Chasing 218 for victory, Sharma hit a 145-ball 124 not out to steer the visitors home in 45.1 overs, although unruly crowd behaviour delayed their six-wicket win in Pallekele.
READ: Pray for MS Dhoni's fitness till 2019 ICC World Cup, says Virender Sehwag
The visitors once looked to be struggling badly in keeping wickets intact, having lost 4 wickets for a total of 61 runs, but then Dhoni walked in to forge a brilliant partnership with Rohit.
While there may be several pundits and fans being critical of the Jharkhand-born cricketer's role in Team India's preparation for the 2019 World Cup, the veteran wicket-keeper batsman proved yet again why is still one of the best finishers in the game.
Mahi presently has most number of unbeaten knocks (40) in successful ODI run chases ahead of Jonty Rhodes (33), Inzamam-ul-Haq (32) and Ricky Ponting (31).
Most unbeaten innings in successful ODI run chases:
40 - MS Dhoni
33 - Jonty Rhodes
32 - Inzamam-ul-Haq
31 - Ricky Ponting#howzstat pic.twitter.com/ipDNtZWFCW— ICC (@ICC) August 27, 2017
Yesterday, Dhoni (80*) also surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin's tally of 9378 ODI runs to become India's fourth highest run-getter in ODI cricket.
It was Bumrah who had laid the foundation for Rohit and Dhoni to win the match for India after his career-best figures of 5-27 restricted Sri Lanka to 217-9 in 50 overs.
Sri Lankan fast bowlers struck early to halt India's run-chase with two early strikes including skipper Virat Kohli for one, leaving the visitors at 19-2.
Sharma and Lokesh Rahul, who made 17, then tried to steady the chase with their 42-run partnership before spinner Akila Dananjaya turned on the heat.
Dananjaya got Rahul and Kedar Jadhav for nought in his first two overs.
But Sharma, who made 54 in the team's previous win, kept his cool amid the madness to register his 12th ODI hundred as he paired with Dhoni to thwart the Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Earlier, Sri Lanka's Lahiru Thirimanne scored a 105-ball 80 to give the total some respect after stand-in-captain Chamara Kapugedera elected to bat first.
The fourth ODI is slated for Thursday in Colombo.
