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In an exclusive interview with News18 CricketNext, Hong Kong spinner Ehsan Khan reveals how MS Dhoni’s words inspired him to keep pushing forward and performing at 40.
Ehsan Khan With MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma (News18 CricketNext Photo)
India’s Asia Cup opener against Hong Kong, China, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Rohit Sharma was leading the side in the absence of Virat Kohli, who had been rested. Asked to bat first, India lost the stand-in skipper early, but Shikhar Dhawan’s century and Ambati Rayudu’s fifty set the tone.
But once they departed, the Indian middle order stumbled, and after Dhawan’s departure (127), out walked the legend – MS Dhoni. The decibel level at the venue spiked as fans chanted his name in unison.
Amid the loud cheers, spinner Ehsan Khan at short fine leg hoped to silence the crowd. But he hardly had the idea that he would be living his dream soon. Ehsan came on to bowl next over, while Dhoni, yet to open his account, took strike and defended the third ball. The Hong Kong spinner bowled a length delivery that spun enough to find the edge off Dhoni’s bat and was safely caught by keeper Scott McKechnie.
The manifestation turned real, and Ehsan was over the moon!
The Day Ehsan Khan Fulfilled His Dhoni Dream
“When Dhoni walked in, the entire crowd was chanting his name. I was fielding at short fine leg and thought—if I get him out, it will be something special. And then it happened,” Ehsan Khan told News18 CricketNext in an exclusive interview.
“The remarkable part is that he walked off on his own without waiting for the umpire’s decision—that’s the kind of person he is. After the match, I received countless messages from around the world. For me, dismissing Dhoni was a big achievement,” he remembered.
Seven years have passed since that dismissal. Dhoni has retired from international cricket but continues to entertain fans in the IPL. Ehsan, meanwhile, remains Hong Kong’s most senior figure as they gear up for the Asia Cup 2025.
Dhoni’s Advice: ‘Age Is Just a Number’ Fuels Ehsan’s Fire
At 40, his passion is undiminished. What keeps him going, he says, is Dhoni’s wisdom from that 2018 encounter.
“‘Age is just a number!’ That’s what Dhoni told me when I met him in 2018,” Ehsan says with a smile.
“That advice stayed with me. Fitness is the most important part; if you’re fit, you can keep performing. At this age, experience helps a lot, too. Looking back, I can see mistakes I made earlier, and now I know how to handle situations better. That experience makes the game easier for me,” he added.
Beyond Records: Ehsan Khan’s Journey and New Milestones
A player from the associate nation doesn’t have an easy life, like in India. But the passion for the gentlemen’s game keeps them driving. Ehsan, too, has a similar story. He left Rawalpindi in 2012 at a friend’s invitation to play club cricket in Hong Kong and 27 years later, he has 15 ODIs and 94 T20Is under his belt.
Last year, he reached a special milestone—becoming one of the fastest bowlers to 100 T20I wickets. He achieved the feat in 71 innings, matching Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, and also ranked fourth on the list for most wickets in a calendar year, with 46 scalps in 2024.
“Every achievement in cricket, big or small, is an honour. Reaching 100 wickets in T20 was very special for me, my family, and my club. My kids and family were very proud. But more than personal milestones, I value team performance. Individual records are good, but what matters most is how much you contribute to the team’s success,” he added.
For Ehsan, the Dhoni fandom runs so deep that he is soon publishing a book that will compile his cricketing journey, and an entire chapter will be on the legendary wicketkeeper-batter.
“I’m writing a book soon, and one of the main chapters will be about my experiences with him,” he said.
Apart from Dhoni, Ehsan picked Virat Kohli and Babar Azam as his favourite stars.
“Meeting Dhoni in 2018 and even getting him out was an unforgettable moment. I also respect Virat Kohli, who once appreciated my bowling, and Babar Azam, whom I dismissed twice. These moments are very special to me,” he added.
The world may look at Hong Kong, China, as minnows in the mix of Test regulars. But each one of them is determined to show what they are capable of. Just like they did against India in 2018, when the opening pair of Anshuman Rath and Nizakat Khan stitched a 174-run stand, giving Indian fans a scare.
This time around, they are placed in Group B, alongside Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Ehsan picks Rashid Khan & Co. as a side to be wary of.
“Afghanistan has improved a lot over the last five years. Most of their players play franchise cricket, and even their bench players are part of top leagues like the IPL. So, they are never easy to beat. But we’ve beaten them three times in the past—in 2016, 2018, and just last year in the Emerging Nations tournament.
“We always have good memories against them, and we’ll surely give them a tough fight,” he added.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
September 08, 2025, 12:08 IST
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The postEXCLUSIVE | ‘Age Is Just A Number’: Dhoni’s Wisdom Fuels 40-year-old Hong Kong Spinner’s Passion in Asia Cup | Cricket News appeared first on News18