'Thala is back' - Twitter delighted after MS Dhoni blazes his way to 50* in IPL 2022 opener
Thanks to MS Dhoni, CSK scored 131 runs in their 20 overs.
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It was his first game as a player in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since the 2017 edition when he played for the Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS). And MS Dhoni made it memorable for his fans and himself as well rolling back the clock with some trademark shots. The veteran batter scored his 24th half-century in the cash-rich league and remained unbeaten on 50 off 38 deliveries.
After opting to bowl first, KKR had the defending champions on the ropes picking up early wickets. With a couple of poor shots and a run-out, CSK found themselves in a hole at 61/5 in the 11th over. This is when MS Dhoni came out to bat even as the new skipper Ravindra Jadeja was feeling the pressure of captaincy in his first game itself.
Some quiet overs followed as the duo looked to take the innings deep. Moreover with three overs of spinners left, MS Dhoni was always going to play them out as he couldn’t pick either of Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine. However, when their overs finished, it was all about the 40-year-old in the last three overs.
Dhoni was 15 off 25 at one stage
With three overs left, CSK only had 84 runs on the board and clearly, they needed the vintage MS Dhoni to make an appearance in the middle. The man was set for a sensational finish and with pacers coming into the attack, it only played into his hands. His arms came into play off the first ball of the 18th over as a fierce cut led the ball racing away to the boundary.
A couple more fours came in the same over and the momentum was suddenly back with the Men in Yellow. MS Dhoni was in his zone and the death overs once again proved fruitful for CSK when was in the middle. Shivam Mavi started the penultimate over well but lost his way at the back end bowling a waist-high full toss and ended up conceding 15 runs.
Then came the famous affair between MS Dhoni and the last overs. Andre Russell was handed the responsibility and the finisher in the veteran batter made sure to churn runs out. The third ball of the over was short and Dhoni smartly played a pull shot in the gap to get a boundary and then came the shot of the match.
Russell missed the yorker only for the 40-year-old youngster to stay deep in the crease and convert it into a full ball. The strong wrists came into play and a sensational flick made the long-on just a spectator. A single came off the next delivery and in no time, MS Dhoni had reached his fifty which was not even in sight when the 18th over began.
CSK had added 47 runs in the last three overs and none other than Dhoni was at the centre stage of their revival. However, it remains to be seen if the score of 131 runs will be enough for CSK to defend.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
An MS Dhoni fifty on day 1 of the IPL! Some start to the season that.
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) March 26, 2022
Regardless of the result here, @ChennaiIPL will be mightily pleased with how well @msdhoni has finished. His batting form will be critical in their middle order #CSKvKKR #Dhoni #IPL2022
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) March 26, 2022
MS Dhoni 7 off 18. Next 20 balls, he has scored 43 runs. He bats one way and when it comes off, it's fine. Hopefully CSK find their mojo going and batting ahead. Good effort, they have something to bowl at.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) March 26, 2022
MS Dhoni has scored a fifty in IPL after 28 innings.
The last time before today he scored a fifty in IPL was against RCB at Bangalore in 2019.#CSKvKKR
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) March 26, 2022
Textbook MS Dhoni innings. While unable to attack the quality spinners, the situation gave Dhoni license to wait for the more hittable quicks at the death, and he has been ruthless. 12 off his first 20 balls; 38 from his next 18. #IPL2022 #CSKvKKR
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) March 26, 2022
The team might have changed, the captain might have changed but it's still MS saving CSK's face.
— Manya (@CSKian716) March 26, 2022
CSK hater rn pic.twitter.com/zB0MZDdYqj
— ex. capt (@thephukdi) March 26, 2022
Still @KKRiders but @msdhoni has made sure each one watching has a smile on their face. What a start to @IPL 2.0 thanks to that fifty. #MSDhoni #IPL #CSKvKKR
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) March 26, 2022
What a finish by MS Dhoni – 50 from 38 balls with 7 fours and a six. Scored 34 runs in last 16 balls, the finisher is back and started the IPL on a high. CSK reaches the total of 131/5. pic.twitter.com/jNqVvuQEwD
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 26, 2022
Thala is back. pic.twitter.com/AC3KJYmAep
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) March 26, 2022
MS Dhoni + team in trouble + Wankhede Stadium + cheering fans.
The magician leaves everyone spellbound, every time. Witnessing greatness. #TataIPL #IPL2022 #CSKvKKR
— Moulin (@Moulinparikh) March 26, 2022
Ms dhoni 🔥 🐐
— Shreevats goswami (@shreevats1) March 26, 2022
Top stuff.. picture abhi baaki hai @msdhoni @ChennaiIPL @IPL
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) March 26, 2022
MS Dhoni tonight: #CSKvKKR #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/9ULnPyxrne
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 26, 2022
Chennai Super Kings was 84 for 5 from 17 overs then posted 131 for 5 from 20 overs – Thanks to main man, MS Dhoni. pic.twitter.com/X3yBrT9Vhb
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 26, 2022
Broadcasters after IPL gets kicked off with Dhoni's 50 pic.twitter.com/6oVpiAmsSq
— Manya (@CSKian716) March 26, 2022
That was brilliant inning from Dhoni. Not easy not playing thru out the year and produce the inning like this!
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) March 26, 2022
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