Dhoni's W.Cup bat fetches $160,500

Wednesday, 20 July 2011 00:30 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

NEW DELHI (AFP) - The cricket bat used by India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to hit a match-winning six in the World Cup final has fetched a staggering £100,000 ($160,500) at an auction, media reported Tuesday.

The auction was held in London on Monday to raise funds for his charitable foundation that was launched in India last year, the Press Trust of India news agency said.

The Indian captain, who scored an unbeaten 79-ball 91 with the bat in his team's six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai in April, sealed the match when he smashed seamer Nuwan Kulasekara for six.

Dhoni said that the charity will work on "improving children's accessibility to cricket by building a sports academy where children will be able to develop their talents across a whole range of disciplines."

He is currently leading the side in England for a four-Test series starting at Lord's on Thursday.