Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad has revealed his craze level for Indian wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni. While it is very well known that Shahzad is a huge fan of MS Dhoni, recently he revealed that how far he can go for his favourite player.
During a recent interview with Cricbuzz, 30-year-old wicketkeeper spoke about MS Dhoni and revealed that how he can give up his two most favourite things food and sleep to watch MS Dhoni’s innings.
Speaking on that, Shahzad said, “There was a time when India were playing a final in the West Indies. Dhoni was batting and India needed 15 runs in the last over. It was Ramzan time then as well. It was 3 to 4 minutes left for Iftari and food was in front of me. At that time, whatever we asked to Allah is fulfilled.
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“Dhoni was unfit for a couple of games earlier and was only playing the final against Sri Lanka. 15 were needed off the last over. I prayed to Allah that India win this match and Dhoni finishes the match. So, I had prayed and delayed my food for a while. So, I can delay sleep as well.”
It was the final of a tri-nation series in 2013 between India and Sri Lanka. Chasing down 202 runs, India was struggling in the middle as they were losing wickets in regular intervals. But skipper MS Dhoni’s heroic unbeaten 45 runs knock helped the team to clinch a thrilling victory by 1 wicket with just 2 balls to spare.
In the last over, India needed 15 runs to win where Dhoni hit six, four and another six to secure a remarkable tri-series victory for his nation.
Talking about his bonding with MS Dhoni, Shahzad said, “I don’t know what is there in that guy that I like him so much. I met him for the first time in West Indies in the 2010 World Cup. During the national anthem, he was walking down from his pavilion and I was walking down from mine. When he got down, he held a small child’s hand. After the match, I talked to him and went to meet him in the hotel. His room number was 411, and it was a hotel in West Indies in 2010. When I sit with him, we spend 3-4 hours together. We talk about cricket and other general stuff. So that’s why I like him even outside of the cricket.”
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Shahzad also recalled the moment when he was struggling with his form during the 2014 Asia Cup and went for an advice to Dhoni during the 2014 World T20 tournament in Bangladesh. He said that he keeps that advice still in mind.
The Afghan cricketer said, “I talked to him in 2014 during the World T20 in Bangladesh. I wasn’t performing well during the Asia Cup, so I went to him and told him I am not performing well and as you can see, even my beard is getting white. So he said, look at my beard and understand how much I think on these things. So he told me one thing, that you have a small brain and you are utilising it in 10-15 places. I used to tell him I thought about what will people say or other things. He told me you’re using your brain in too many places at once. Try to focus your mind on cricket and forget other things, performance will come on it’s own. I keep that advice in mind even now.”
