The first ODI between India and England at Edgbaston had plenty of memorable moments. However, one incident away from the cricket field caught everyone’s attention. Former India captain MS Dhoni marked his presence for the ODI opener. He shared a sweet moment with a young fan that quickly went viral on social media portals.
The crowd welcomed him with a loud cheer the moment he appeared on the big screen at Edgbaston. However, it was his simple and humble gesture towards a young supporter that won hearts.
MS Dhoni Accepts Young Fan’s Special Gesture, Viral Video Wins Hearts Across Social Media
The viral video showed a young fan sitting near Dhoni offering him some popcorn while the former India captain was watching the match from the stands. Dhoni accepted the gesture with a smile and thanked the child.
After enjoying a few pieces of popcorn, the youngster offered him more. Dhoni politely refused with a smile. He indicated that he had already eaten enough.
Social media users praised the former India skipper for making the young fan feel special. Many fans pointed out that Dhoni’s popularity is not only because of his achievements on the field but also because of the way he connects with people.
The former wicketkeeper-batter has always shared a special bond with supporters. Whether it is his interactions with fans or his calm presence during matches, Dhoni continues to remain one of the most loved figures in cricket.
India beat England to take 1-0 lead in ODI series
Meanwhile, India started the ODI series with a comfortable six-wicket victory over England at Edgbaston. Batting first, England were bowled out for 258 in 48 overs after Joe Root and Liam Dawson played important knocks.
Root remained unbeaten on 76, while Dawson scored a fighting 68 to help England post a competitive total. However, India’s bowlers kept control throughout the innings, with Axar Patel leading the attack. The left-arm spinner picked up four wickets for 62 runs, while Prasidh Krishna claimed two wickets.
India’s chase was smooth despite early setbacks. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fell cheaply, but captain Shubman Gill guided the innings with a classy 80 before retiring hurt due to cramps.
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Axar Patel continued his brilliant all-round performance with an unbeaten 57, while Washington Sundar finished the match with an unbeaten 52. India reached the target with 28 balls remaining to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Axar Patel was adjudged the Man of the Match for his all-round performance. Apart from his batting, he picked up four wickets to his name in 9.5 overs at an economy of 6.3.
When asked about India’s win and his all-round performance, Axar Patel said, “Obviously, the way the T20 series went, I think this is the perfect start for us. And very happy with the way I performed today.”
When asked about the pitch, offering assistance to the spinners, he said, “I think I bowled under a particular area. I thought I have to bowl, you know, vary my pace and bowl stump to stump. And I did exactly what I wanted to do. And I’m lucky that I got the four wickets.”
When asked about the team’s approach during the chase, he said, “And after that, in the batting, I think we got a very good start, and then we have to just know that we are ahead of the game. So we have to just rotate the strike and we have to finish the game well.”
Echoing his thoughts on his partnership with Washington Sundar, he said, “When I went there, I think Washington was there. We were thinking about that we are down a couple of wickets just now; we have to build a partnership right now. And after four or five overs, we’ll think about what we have to do because the way we got the start, I think we are ahead of the game. So we have to just build the partnership and just finish the game.”
