BCCI influenced jury to name Dhoni ‘Man of the Match’: Indian media

Sources say a senior BCCI official called a commentator and told him to ensure Dhoni was named Man of the Match.

The Indian cricket board has been accused of influencing the jury into naming captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni the “Man of the Match” in the last ODI played against Pakistan.

According to Headlines Today, insiders said that a senior and noted commentator received a call from a senior official of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and was “clearly told to ensure Dhoni was named Man of the Match”.

The commentator proposed Dhoni’s name during the jury meeting and he was consequently awarded the title as a “consolation prize”. According to Headlines Today, the official who had called “was influential enough to ensure the decision was taken”.

A former cricketer, who was part of the jury and voted in Dhoni’s favour, told Times of India that the decision was taken to boost Dhoni’s morale at the time when he was not doing well.

Pakistani cricket fans were upset when Dhoni was awarded the title on scoring 36 runs off 55 balls in the final ODI. They suggested that Saeed Ajmal should have received the award instead for taking five wickets in 9.4 overs and giving only 24 runs.

Sources also told Times of India that the Pakistani team had unofficially complained to the commentators for not choosing opening batsman Nasir Jamshed in the first ODI played in Chennai. They said Jamshed had scored a match-winning century but the award was given to Dhoni.