IPL 2016 Match 53: Rising Pune Supergiants vs Kings XI Punjab

We move on to the next match of the double-header:

GL vs MI, IPL 2016 Live Score | Gujarat Lions vs Mumbai Indians Live Cricket Scorecard & Ball by Ball Commentary | Sportskeeda.com

Dhoni: "It was a fantastic game. Looking at the 14 games, we were never completely outplayed. It gives us the confidence next year, and it will be a completely different scenario next time. Right from the start, bowling was one department where we were worried. When we haven't picked up wickets with the new ball, we have struggled. There have been glimpses of talent, and we'll have to show it on the field. People will come with new plans every year and you have to adapt. This IPL, the best kind of wickets were provided."

Just to come to terms with the magnanimity of Dhoni's last-over effort, here is a stat.

23 runs by RPS is the most runs chased in the final over in IPL history. Prev best: 21 by DC v KKR, 2009,RCB v PWI, 2012and MI v KKR, 2011
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) May 21, 2016

MS DHONI has been adjudged as the MAN OF THE MATCH! 64 runs off 32 balls with 4 fours and 5 sixes.

23 off 6? No problem. 12 off 2? No problem. 6 off the last ball? Are you kidding me? No! Nobody is kidding anyone. It's Dhoni kidding around with the bowlers. If there was a person in the stadium who didn't believe that Dhoni could actually do it, he would start believing it now!

And the @msdhoni legend continues. Doff that hat
— Sundar Raman (@ramansundar) May 21, 2016

DHONI DHONI DHONI! Keep chanting the name for as long as you can! He unleashed the best in the very last match. As if he was waiting for the very last match to vent out the frustration of the season. Three sixes in the last over, when Pune needed 23 runs off 6.

19.6 Axar to MS Dhoni, SIX! PUNE WIN! STAND AND DELIVER! Dhoni has done it the way only he can! He was ready to swing at anything and hammers the full ball on leg stump with his trademark helicopter stroke over deep midwicket for a gigantic six to finish the game.

The dogs of war have been unleashed. Even the dogs cannot contain the excitement. A dog is out there in the middle.

19.5 Axar to MS Dhoni, SIX! Shorter, Dhoni swings his bat in line and swats it to deep square leg. Insane power from Dhoni! WOW! Dhoni is rolling back the years. Short ball and slammed over midwicket for a monstrous six.

19.4 Axar to MS Dhoni, FOUR! Width outside off, and Dhoni slaps that over covers for a magnificent boundary. What is Dhoni doing? Is he finishing the game or what? This is madness. Has Vijay given away the game by asking Axar to bowl the last over?

19.3 Axar to MS Dhoni, no run, slaps a wide ball outside off to a diving Amla at deep cover. Doesn't take a single when he could have easily taken two. He is trusting his abilities. But is he taking too big a risk?

19.2 Axar to MS Dhoni, SIX! In the slot, Dhoni hoists it over midwicket. That was LONG and HIGH! Dhoni unleashes the beast within himself and hits a 95m six over long on. Length ball, a cardinal sin at this stage by Axar.

19.2 Axar to MS Dhoni, WIDE! Outside leg.

19.1 Axar to MS Dhoni, no run, short, pulled to deep midwicket. Denies a single.

Axar Patel to bowl the final over.

23 runs need off the last over. Has Mohit swung the game back in Punjab's favour?

18.6 Mohit to MS Dhoni, 1 run, one more yorker outside off, Dhoni digs it out to long off and saunters across to retain strike.

18.5 Mohit to MS Dhoni, no run, scorching in-swinging yorker. Dhoni cannot do anything with it. Puts his bat in time. Outstanding yorker by Mohit. Just at the centre of the crease. Even Dhoni had to dig it out.

18.4 Mohit to MS Dhoni, no run, slower ball, pulled but straight to square leg. He doesn't take a single.

18.3 Mohit to MS Dhoni, FOUR! Low full toss outside off, Dhoni slices it with a one-handed swing over point. The top hand came off on contact. Incredible batting by Dhoni. He is targeting that area behind point, as for the third time in the innings, he carves the ball behind point, and the ball went like a bullet for a boundary.

18.2 Mohit to Ravi Ashwin, 1 run, full outside off, sliced straight to point.

Ravichandran Ashwin is the new batsman.

18.1 Mohit to Thisara Perera, OUT! Goes for a slog but is playing down the wrong line. The ball moves a shade after pitching, and catches the outside edge which falls in the gloves of Saha behind the stumps. Perera looked to hoick it over long off, but only manages to get an outside edge to the keeper. Against the run of play, RPS have lost a wicket. The game is far from being over.

Mohit to bowl the penultimate over. 29 needed off 12 balls.

15 runs off this over. Dhoni and Perera have changed the game within the span of a few overs.

17.6 Sandeep to MS Dhoni, no run, slower ball outside off, Dhoni is beaten for lack of pace.

17.5 Sandeep to MS Dhoni, SIX! Full, outside off, in the slot! He jabs it with brute force over deep extra cover. DHONI, the man! Fuller again, outside off, Dhoni frees his arms and smashes that long and high over the deep cover fence for a HUGE SIX! That was a lofted cover drive, but muscle and power.

17.4 Sandeep to Thisara Perera, 1 run, inside edges a yorker to square leg.

17.3 Sandeep to MS Dhoni, 1 run, length outside off, hammers it to long on in one bounce.

Pressure back on the KXIP bowlers! Second WIDE ball of the over by Sandeep. That is what Dhoni does to the bowlers.

17.3 Sandeep to MS Dhoni, WIDE. That's almost out of the pitch. Way outside off.

17.2 Sandeep to MS Dhoni, FOUR! Low full toss outside off, sliced over point for a four. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant from Dhoni. Sandeep darted it wide of off stump and full, and Dhoni, for the second time in his innings, carves the ball behind point and beats the man in the deep for four.

17.2 Sandeep to MS Dhoni, WIDE. Hurls it way outside off.

17.1 Sandeep to Thisara Perera, 1 run, full outside off, drilled to Miller at widish long off.

Sandeep Sharma to bowl the 18th over.

10 runs off the over. A good one for Pune. 44 need still of 18 balls.

16.6 Mohit to Thisara Perera, 1 run, full ball again, dragged to long on.

16.5 Mohit to MS Dhoni, 1 run, slow ball on the length, Dhoni can only squeeze it deep cover.

16.4 Mohit to MS Dhoni, 2 runs, fuller ball on middle, Dhoni goes for a big heave but doesn't connect properly, hits the full ball to deep midwicket.

16.3 Mohit to Thisara Perera, 1 run, full outside off, driven straight to long off.

16.2 Mohit to MS Dhoni, 1 run, yorker on the boots, dug out to long off.

16.1 Mohit to MS Dhoni, FOUR! Low full toss, carved to the deep point fence. What a shot! That was finesse by Dhoni. Fuller ball, just outside off, and Dhoni opens up the face of the bat and carves the ball in between point and gully for a magnificent boundary.

Mohit Sharma comes back. Time for some yorkers and slower ones.

16 runs came off this over. RPS are going for it now. The game is NOT OVER! 54 runs needed off the last 4 overs. The strategic timeout has been taken.

15.6 Abbott to Thisara Perera, FOUR! On the off stump, Perera waits for the ball and slashes at it hard, manages to bisect point and short third man for another boundary. Perera unleashes himself here. He needs to carry on, though.

15.5 Abbott to Thisara Perera, SIX! Gets a length ball freebie, and swats it over long on for a six. That was right in the slot. Length ball, Perea gets underneath it, as it was slower in pace as well, and smokes it over long on for a HUGE six.

15.4 Abbott to Thisara Perera, 2 runs, waits for a slower bouncer and cuts it uppishly behind point.