Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
The Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) are taking on reigning champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 13 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. While earlier in the match, it was the home skipper who won the toss and invited the visitors to field first. On the back of a brilliant spell from Matheesha Pathirana, the CSK bowling line-up restricted DC to below 200.
In pursuit to the 192-run target put up by the Delhi Capitals, CSK openers departed early with the skipper scoring only one run whereas Rachin Ravindra departed having scored only two runs. But as wickets kept falling with only Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell stitching a 50-run stand, it was MS Dhoni who walked out to bat for the first time in IPL 2024.
As soon as the five-time IPL winning captain took the field, he received a rousing welcome with the stadium echoing with Dhoni….Dhoni chants. The video of the same has been going viral on social media, with the official streaming partner of IPL 2024 captioning it, “The moment we’ve all been waiting for”.
Watch MS Dhoni receive rousing welcome in Vizag:
MS Dhoni’s late onslaught ends in vain for CSK
After missing a chance to bat in CSK’s opening two games, the stalwart of the game, MS Dhoni finally took the centre stage. On his return to field with the bat after last batting in IPL 2023 final, Dhoni smashed Mukesh Kumar for a boundary over deep square leg on the first ball. However, he could have departed on the very next ball, but a drop catch from Khaleel Ahmed just gave him a lifeline.
But the 42-year-old smashed 20 runs off South African pacer Anrich Nortje in the final over, but could not help his side cross the line and finish on the winning side.
Watch MS Dhoni’s final over heroics here:
