LIVE SCORE

August 04, 2008
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named as the recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award for the year 2007-08. It is a big achievement for the 27-year-old as he is the only cricketer to be given this award after Sachin Tendulkar (who was given this award in 1997-98) ever since it was instilled in 1991-92! The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award is India's highest honour given for achievement in the field of sports. The award is named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, who is a former Prime Minister of India.

Dhoni is likely to miss the award event though which is slated to be on August 29. It is award presented by the President of India, but Dhoni will be engaged in the One Day Series in Sri Lanka. The award consists of a medal, a scroll of honour and a cash component in a few lakhs of Indian Rupees. Mahendra Singh Dhoni had made his country proud by making Team India Champions in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 Championship. After that success in the T20 World Cup, Dhoni was made as the One Day Captain and under his leadership, India went onto register some memorable moments in world cricket including that of beating World One Day Champions Australia in the Finals of the CB Series. It was the victory in the T20 World Cup that really helped Cricket in India to bounce back strongly after taking a heavy beating because of a disappointing first round crash in the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. The T20 World Cup and later on the IPL has helped Dhoni to become as popular as Sachin Tendulkar among the Indian public.