'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
MS Dhoni turned back the clock and played a wonderful cameo of 37* (16) for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday, March 31. It came in the IPL 2024 match against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Vizag. However, it still wasn't enough as CSK lost the match by 20 runs, with Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja unbeaten at the crease in the end.
DC batted first in the contest and scored 191/5 in 20 overs on the back of contributions from Rishabh Pant (51) and David Warner (52). CSK then got off to a poor start in the powerplay as DC pacer Khaleel Ahmed extracted swing with the new ball. He put a tight lid on the scoring rate, conceding only nine runs in his first three overs.
They failed to gather enough momentum from there and struggled to get the required rate under control. The fall of wickets at regular intervals also did not help them. MS Dhoni walked out to bat in the 17th over when 72 runs were required in 23 balls.
Dhoni tried his best with a blistering cameo, but it was not sufficient as he did not receive any support from the other end. He smashed three sixes and four fours, remaining unbeaten in the end.
Fans were impressed with MS Dhoni's wonderful batting performance and hailed him through their posts on X. Here are some of the best reactions:
"I thought the wicket played good slightly on the better side in the first innings"- CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad after losing against DC in IPL 2024
After the conclusion of the match, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad reflected on the loss and said:
"I was pretty much happy with how the bowlers came back after first six overs, kind of start they had, 60 for no loss and restricting them to 190 was a good effort. I thought the wicket played good slightly on the better side in the first innings, but in the second innings there was some seam movement off the deck and spongy bounce as well."
Ruturaj continued:
"At the half-way stage it felt like it was still gettable, after three or four overs, there was extra seam movement in the powerplay and we were always catching up, we couldn't get one big over to come back into the contest.
"To be on the losing side, just by the margin of 20 runs, matter of two or three hits and with the bowling, if we had stopped a couple of boundaries here and there it would've made the difference."
MS Dhoni and CSK team will be back in action on Friday (April 5) when they play an away game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
