Oneu00a0may find Rs 72 lakhs an absurd sum for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's World Cup-winning bat, which was put up for auction recently in England. But R K Global, the financial broking firm, that won the bid for the bat, said the intention was to keep the prized possession in India.


MS Dhoni hits Sri Lanka's Nuwan Kulasekara for a six in the World Cup
final. Pic/Suresh KK

"Anybody could have won the bid. Luckily we were the highest bidder. Obviously we paid a huge price, but the feeling behind it is more important. We gave it our best because our aim was keep the bat in India. After all, we won the World Cup," Ashish Bhagchandka, the company's Maharashtra head, told MiD DAY yesterday. The company also has the bat with which Dhoni scored his maiden Test century against Pakistan at Faisalabad in 2006.u00a0

"We were thrilled to watch the World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium. It was essentially Dhoni, who sealed the match. We were eager to get a souvenir, and luckily this (auction) opportunity came through," added Bhagchandka.

Dhoni, who scored an unbeaten 79-ball 91 in India's six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final in April, sealed the match when he hit Nuwan Kulasekara for six.