IPL 2024: MSD’s hat-trick of sixes trumps Rohit Sharma ton as Dhoni’s love affair with Wankhede continues

Synopsis: Dhoni’s hat-trick of sixes and Pathirana’s four-wicket haul negated Rohit Sharma’s excellent 63-ball 105 as Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 20 runs. Dhoni’s love for Wankhede continued as his 4-ball 20-run cameo made the difference in the end

MSD’s hat-trick of sixes

The Chennai Super Kings fans that packed the Wankhede Stadium wanted only one thing — to watch Mahendra Singh Dhoni come out to bat. After all, it was at this hallowed venue 13 years ago that he sealed India’s World Cup win with an iconic six.

In what could be his last IPL match — never say never when it comes to him — at the ground, Dhoni didn’t disappoint. Throughout CSK’s innings, there was a deafening noise whenever Dhoni was shown on the big screen. It got louder when they saw him put on his helmet towards the end. It’s not often that fans wish their own team would lose a wicket, but such is Dhoni mania.

When Daryl Mitchell was caught at long-on off the second ball of the final over, the roar was thunderous as the man himself walked out to bat. And he came with only one intention — whack the back as hard as only he knows how to. Here’s how he made a mockery of Hardik Pandya’s bowling.

First ball: Six over long-off

Second ball: Six over long-on

Third ball: Six over deep square-leg to take his team’s total past the 200 mark.

It could’ve been a perfect six-fest but the last ball only found the bottom edge of the bat though Dhoni managed to get a couple of runs to finish with 20 in just four balls and blow the roof of the Wankhede Stadium for the umpteenth time.

Pathirana’s 4-wicket haul

Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana had been threatening this season but hadn’t been a real game-changer. That changed on Sunday as he picked up a four-wicket haul, conceding just 28 runs in the 4 overs (12 runs came in his final over when the game was in CSK’s bag), that ultimately won the match for CSK. More than his economy, it was the wickets at crucial junctures that ultimately turned the match in CSK’s favour.

MI were threatening when Pathirana was given the ball in the eighth over. On his first ball itself, he got the wicket of Ishan Kishan, who picked out Shardul Thakur at midwicket. Two balls later, he got the dangerous Suryakumar Yadav out courtesy a superb catch by Mustafizur Rahman on the boundary. Pathirana then got the wicket of Tilak Varma before cleaning out hard-hitting Guyanese Romario Shepherd to seal the deal for CSK.

Dube continues stellar run with Ruturaj

Shivam Dube has been in the form of his life this IPL season and continued his superlative touch against MI at what is technically his homeground. CSK coach Stephen Fleming, on the eve of the match, spoke about how Dube worked on his problem area – short balls. “He worked on the mental aspect of it too”, Fleming said. It was quite evident as Dube punished Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya and Romario Shepherd when they tried to bowl short – though they didn’t exactly hit their mark.

Like Fleming said, if Dube continues his hitting prowess, it will be hard for the selectors to ignore him for the T20 World Cup later this year.

New CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been receiving flak on social media, with fans calling him too slow despite his consistent performances this season. He didn’t open the innings and came at No.3 but that didn’t matter as he backed Fleming’s “cut from the same cloth as MS Dhoni” comment with a 40-ball 69 with a strike rate of 172.5.

Nabi and off-spinners

Mumbai’s Afghan off-spinner Mohammad Nabi had said on the eve of the match that it’s very difficult for off-spinners at the Wankhede because of the dew factor and the batting-dominant nature of T20 cricket. “The conditions at Wankhede are really tough to bowl as an off-spinner. Leg-spinners have a lot of varieties but as an off-spinner, it’s tougher to bowl here,” he said.

With CSK known to dominate the middle overs, Nabi was handed the new ball and Pandya wanted him to finish his spell as early as possible. Nabi didn’t disappoint, varied his bowling excellently to restrict the CSK batters and give Mumbai an ideal start, conceding just 19 runs in his 3 overs.

Off-spinners can play a role in T20 cricket, then. Nabi would want to take back his statement.

MI’s opening blitz & Rohit’s ton

After losing their opening three matches, Mumbai bounced back to win the next two. And while Jasprit Bumrah was instrumental in ensuring the opposition didn’t go berserk with their scoring, it was MI’s opening combination of Kishan and Rohit Sharma that set up the innings superbly.

Against Delhi Capitals, their opening stand yielded 80 runs. In the next match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, they scored 101 and on Sunday against CSK, they added 70 before Kishan departed.

Rohit was brilliant in his unbeaten 63-ball 105, hitting 11 boundaries and five sixes for his first century of the season, but without the required support, it turned out to be a lost cause.

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