Dhoni and Kohli save India Bangla blushes7 Jan, 2010, Bangladesh

Mahindra Singh Dhoni led from the front with tremendous unbeaten 101 as India recovered from early jolt to register the comprehensive six-wicket win over Bangladesh in third match of the cricket tri-series on Thursday.

Chasing 297 for victory under lights, India was precariously placed at 51 for three before Dhoni combined with Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina to steer the team to victory with 15 balls to spare. Dhoni not only notched up his seventh ODI century but paced his innings brilliantly to share a 152-run forth wicket stand with Kohli to put India on course of the victory.

India was however dealt with some early blows by the Bangladeshi bowlers as openers Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh all feel cheaply inside the first nine overs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Suresh Raina, who hit five fours and a six during his unbeaten knock, hit the winning runs – a boundary – to take India to 297 for four to the stunned silence of 25,000-odd Bangladesh supporters.

Young Kohli hit his fourth ODI fifty in his 17th match, was unlucky to miss out on his second hundred by nine runs as he was caught and bowled by Bangladesh captain Sakib al Hasan in the 35th over.