'Mahi bhai’s wicket is my dream wicket and I have fulfilled my dream' - Avesh Khan on uprooting MS Dhoni

Delhi Capitals fast bowler Avesh Khan has expressed his delight after getting the ‘dream wicket’ of MS Dhoni. The young pacer knocked the stumps of the Chennai Super Kings’ captain and sent him back to the dressing room for a 2-ball duck. He was more delighted because he finally got the wicket for the former Indian captain after missing an opportunity in 2018. 

The 24-years-old bowler was chosen over Umesh Yadav with Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, and Ishant Sharma missing in Delhi’s first match of the season in Mumbai, April 10. Against a strong opposition like CSK, Khan displayed good bowling skills in the powerplay. Considering his recent form, his selection was quite obvious. 

In the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy earlier this year, while playing for Madhya Pradesh, he picked up 14 wickets from just five matches. New Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant might have made a call on selecting Khan over the senior pros based on that. He repaid the faith which was shown in him by picking up two crucial wickets of Chennai. 

 Our plan was to initially maintain pressure on Dhoni: Avesh Khan

He dismissed Faf du Plessis in his first spell to not allow the Chennai team to start off well with the bat. He came back later in the innings to take the wicket of Dhoni as well. Khan had missed an opportunity to get his dream wicket of MS Dhoni once back in 2018 when Colin Munro dropped his catch. He also said that the Delhi management planned that they need to take advantage of the fact that Dhoni hasn’t played any cricket for the last six months. 

“Three years ago Mahi bhai’s (MS Dhoni) catch was dropped. Mahi bhai’s wicket is my dream wicket, and now three years later I’ve fulfilled that dream and I’m very happy about it,” Avesh Khan said in a video released by the franchise.“It’s also that he hasn’t played cricket in a while, he hasn’t been playing matches, so our plan was to initially maintain pressure on him, and I got the wicket because of the pressure,” he stated.

Delhi will be facing Rajasthan Royals in their next match in Mumbai on April 15. Avesh Khan talked about the fast-bowling resources which their team has. With Chris Woakes, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma already in their mix, they also have Rabada, who has taken more than 50 wickets in the last two seasons altogether. Anrich Nortje, too, was extremely successful for them. 

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