Dhoni betters Gilchrist

- Rudra Pratap Singh and Keith Dabengwa made their one-day international debut in the fifth match of the Videocon Cup tri-series between India and Zimbabwe in Harare, on Monday. They became the 161st and 89th player respectively to represent their countries in ODIs.

- Zimbabwe, at one stage were cruising at 227 for 4, but were finally bowled out for 250, losing their last six wickets for only 23 runs. This is the second worst six-wicket collapse for a side against India. At Gwalior on March 4, 1993, England were bowled out for 256 after being comfortably placed 246 for 4 at one stage. The following table lists the worst six-wicket collapses against India:

- Yuvraj Singh (120) scored his fourth century in his 125th one-day international. Interestingly, none of his centuries have come on home soil. His previous highest against Zimbabwe was 80 not out (off 60 balls) in Hyderabad on March 16, 2002.

- All of Yuvraj's four centuries have come while batting at number five. He now holds the record of scoring most centuries at this position, moving ahead of England's Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen who have scored three centuries each.

- Yuvraj also completed his 3,000 runs in one-day internationals when his score reached 36. He became the 13th Indian batsman to reach this milestone.

- Mahendra Singh Dhoni took his tally to 500 runs in his 18th one-day international. Surprisingly, only three Indian batsmen have completed their 500 runs in lesser matches than him -- Navjot Singh Sidhu (13), Dinesh Mongia (15) and Kris Srikkanth (17), while Mohammad Azharuddin and S Ramesh -- likewise Dhoni -- took 18 matches to accomplish this feat.

- Among the 'specialist' wicket-keepers, Dhoni's progress to 500 runs is even faster than Australia's Adam Gilchrist. The Australian wicketkeeper reached this milestone in his 21st match (19th innings). Only Kenya's K O Obuya (12) and Zimbabwe's Andy Flower (16) have taken lesser matches than Dhoni to accomplish this feat.

- Among the 'specialist' Indian wicket-keepers (excluding the likes of Rahul Dravid), Dhoni is now the fastest to reach the 500-run mark. Nayan Mongia held the previous record for being the fastest to reach this mark for India -- in 57 matches (and 34 innings).

- The sixth wicket partnership of 158 runs between Yuvraj and Dhoni is India's best for this wicket in ODIs. It obliterated the unbroken 132-run stand between Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif against Pakistan in Lahore on March 21, 2004.

- India recovered from a precarious position of 36 for 4 to achieve the winning total, by reaching 255 for 6. It was only the second time India managed to reach the winning target of 200-plus despite losing first four wickets before 50 runs on the board. The only other such instance had come against Australia in Bangalore on October 21, 1996 in a Titan Cup match. Having lost 4 wickets for 47 India recovered to post the winning total of 216 for 8 on that occasion.

- The winning shot for India was a mighty six from the bat of Dhoni. This was the second time that Dhoni ended a match in this fashion. In the Indian Oil Cup tri-series match against West Indies in Dambulla on July 31, 2005, Jermaine Lawson had to meet similar treatment from Dhoni. The Jharkhand wicketkeeper now joins Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar, who have also performed this feat on two occasions for India. The world record is held by West Indian Brian Lara with four such instances.

- India became the first team to win a match chasing 250 or more runs on more than one occasion in Zimbabwe. India had also beaten New Zealand by making 279 for 4 in the fifth match of current series on September 2, 2005.

Yuvraj won his ninth man of the match award in ODIs, it was his third against Zimbabwe.