Dhoni slammed Unadkat for 6,4,2, and 4 to win CSK a tense match with 17 needed in last over.
MS Dhoni demonstrated on Thursday that he still has his finishing prowess as he led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a three-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022. Dhoni, 40, kept his cool in the final over, when the Chennai team required 16 runs off Jaydev Unadkat's final four deliveries.
In a crucial scenario, the seasoned wicketkeeper-batter was his typical self, hitting a six and a four off the first two deliveries he faced.
Dhoni scored two runs before completing the game with a last-ball four in the fine leg area. It was a testament to the 'finisher' Dhoni's batting prowess as he flourished under extreme duress, demonstrating why, despite retiring from international cricket in 2020, he remains one of the best finishers.
After watching a Dhoni special against the Mumbai Indians, who have now lost seven consecutive games to extend their dreadful record this season, Twitter erupted.
The Chennai talisman's unbroken 28 off 13 delighted Indian supporters, who flocked to social media to shower Dhoni with praise.
Shane Watson, a former Chennai Super Kings all-rounder, too commented to Dhoni's knock, emphasizing his calm demeanor in tight situations. "In my bed, I was shouting at the TV. It was awesome," said Watson on The Grade Cricketer podcast.
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"That was a special game. It went super deep as it always does with Dhoni. He's so calm. I wouldn't be so calm. Pretorius, who was batting with him at that time, nearly ran himself out a couple of times because he was on the edge of his seat," he further added.
In the 20th over, Dhoni had a strike rate of 400 or more against Jaydev Unadkat. Watson remarked on how a vintage Dhoni turned back the clock with his six down the ground after hitting 47 runs off 11 deliveries against the left-arm bowler.
"Him (MS Dhoni) knowing Unadkat as well, he (Unakdat) can get it a little bit wrong at times under pressure but he actually bowled a couple of good balls. But Dhoni was just...there was one shot, in particular, the six that he hit straight down the ground, that was proper Dhoni evolved. The power that he had under the ball, in his back leg, just exploded the ball dead straight. I haven't seen it for the last couple of years," said Watson.
"You don't lose the skill and as soon as that situation of the game came in, you could see his mind just narrowly focus on just watching the ball and just loading up. Even that last ball, Unadkat executed it actually really well. A leg-stump yorker and Dhoni just found the gap. It just reminds you of what Dhoni's been able to do throughout his whole career," he added.
Chennai is presently at the ninth spot in the IPL2022 points table, while Mumbai is still at the bottom of the points table after suffering their seventh consecutive defeat.