Vintage Dhoni is back! Takes CSK to IPL 2021 final!

Dubai, Oct 11: With becoming the first team to get knocked out of IPL 2021, CSK became pretty dominant in this year's IPL. A vintage MS Dhoni finish was witnessed in the Dubai stadium as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by four wickets in Qualifier 1 and became the first team to reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 final.

 

 

It seemed like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were cruising at one point with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa going guns blazing having stitched a 100-run partnership but three wickets inside seven balls meant the game went to the wire. But as Kohli said "the best finisher ever", Dhoni stood for the team when it needed the most. Dhoni sealed the match with a throwback 18 off six balls to hunt down the target of 173 runs set by DC with two balls to spare.

 

 

Dhoni came out to bat in the penultimate over and when he got on strike, CSK needed 19 runs to win off nine balls. He started off with a wild swing to a slower delivery from Avesh Khan. But the very next ball he smashed a flat six over deep mid-wicket to get off the mark. England pacer Tom Curran bowled the final over and struck with his first ball to remove Moeen Ali. But with the ball going deep into the outfield, Dhoni managed to get on strike, and then started the onslaught. He smashed three consecutive fours to get CSK home with two balls to spare.

 

There was a series of half-centuries —Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 70, Robin Uthappa’s 63, Prithvi Shaw’s 60, and Rishabh Pant’s 51 not out — but all that would be remembered from the match would be Dhoni’s 18, as it often happens when he stays till the end. He also shushed the critics who thought that Dhoni was struggling for runs throughout the tournament and even though he got to bat in the last two games he didn't look like Dhoni everyone knows of but he brought his best in last night's match.

 

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Team India skipper Virat Kohli took to Twitter to share his excitement seeing Dhoni do what he does again, "Anddddd the king is back the greatest finisher ever in the game. Made me jump Outta my seat once again tonight."