Chennai Super Kings crashed to a narrow three-run defeat vs Rajasthan Royals in Match 17 of IPL 2023, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday. Chasing a target of 176 runs, CSK reached 172/6 in 20 overs, with MS Dhoni failing to hit the match-winning six in the final delivery. The CSK captain received an accurate yorker from Sandeep Sharma and could only take a single in the final ball.
Opener Devon Conway made a crucial contribution to CSK’s chase, smacking 50 runs off 38 balls. Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane played a knock of 31 runs off 19 deliveries. For RR’s bowling department, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal bagged two wickets each and Sandeep Sharma scalped a dismissal.
Also Read | Watch: MS Dhoni’s reaction immediately after he failed to connect last ball for six is heartbreaking
Initially, RR posted 175/8 in 20 overs, courtesy of some fine batting from Jos Buttler. Buttler clobbered 52 runs off 36 balls and Devdutt Padikkal slammed 38 runs off 26 deliveries. Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Singh were in good form for CSK and took two wickets each.
After the match, much of the spotlight was on Dhoni, who has finished matches previously in style. Also this wasn’t the first time, the former India cricketer couldn’t finish a match for CSK, and has failed to do so in previous instances.
Here are the times MS Dhoni failed to finish a match for CSK:
1. Against Rajasthan Royals (IPL 2023)
On Wednesday, Dhoni was on the crease and CSK needed five runs off the last delivery. In the final delivery, Dhoni received a yorker from Sandeep, and failed to get underneath it and could only guide it to deep midwicket for a single. Chasing a target of 176 runs, CSK reached 172/6 in 20 overs, with Dhoni slamming an unbeaten knock of 32 runs off 17 balls. In the final over, Dhoni could only hit two sixes.
2. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL 2016)
In 2016, Dhoni was captain of Pune Supergiants and there was no Chennai franchise in that season. Against SRH in a match, Pune needed only six runs to win in two balls. In the fifth delivery, Dhoni went for a double off a Ashish Nehra bouncer, but got run out while taking the second run.
3. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL 2020)
IPL 2020 saw Dhoni’s CSK lost to SRH by seven runs in Dubai and Dhoni remained unbeaten after slamming 47 off 36 balls. In the last over, CSK needed 28 runs and Samad was the bowler. Samad conceded five runs of wide on the first delivery. Then, CSk bagged nine runs in four balls. 14 were required off the last two balls, first Dhoni took a single, and then the other batter smacked a six as the side lost by seven runs.
4. Against Mumbai Indians (IPL 2013)
In IPL 2013, CSK faced MI in the final. Chasing a target of 148/9 in 20 overs, CSK could only reach 125/9, losing by 23 runs. Dhoni was unbeaten, registering 63 off 45 balls but failed to deliver a win.
5. Against Royal Challengers Bangalore (IPL 2019)
In 2019, CSK face RCB in Chennai and were chasing a target of 161/7 in 20 overs, and could only reach 160/8 in 20 overs, losing by a run. Dhoni registered an unbeaten knock of 84 runs off 48 balls, and hit a four and three sixes in the final over. In the final delivery, Umesh Yadav sent a slow off-cutter, and Dhoni tried to cut, but the bat sneaked through. He went for a single, but the wicketkeeper did the rest as Shardul Thakur got run out in the final ball.
