Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has become the first team to qualify for the playoffs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The MS Dhoni-led CSK defeated Kane Williamson’s Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by six wickets in Sharjah on Thursday.
While the bowlers and the opening batsmen laid the foundation of CSK’s win, captain Dhoni took his side to the finish line with a trademark six. It was also Dhoni’s 50th six in the last over of an IPL innings.
.@ChennaiIPL march into the #VIVOIPL Playoffs! 👏 👏
The @msdhoni-led unit beats #SRH & becomes the first team to seal a place in the playoffs. 👌 👌 #VIVOIPL #SRHvCSK
Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/QPrhO4XNVr pic.twitter.com/78dMU8g17b
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 30, 2021
Speaking to the official broadcasters after the match, former England captain Kevin Pietersen reckoned that Dhoni keeps doing the job over and over again, and the way the Ranchi-born finished the match against SRH would strike fear in the minds of the opposition.
“Dhoni has done it for so many years, he keeps doing it and doing it and doing it. What he has done now, should strike fear into the opposition. He has not been in the form for two seasons, so if he starts doing that now here, then, goodness, they got one hand on the trophy, they really do. They are serious out, on these conditions they are really good,” said Pietersen.
Pietersen added that the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Ravindra Jadeja, Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been performing exceptionally well for CSK this season, and if Dhoni can finish games off in style, then the opposition will surely have a problem.
“They got the Hazlewood effect, and the Jadeja effect, and the openers have been really good. So, if Dhoni starts coming off now, finishes games off, then other teams have a problem. Scary proposition,” added Pietersen.
Former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar was also happy to see Dhoni finishing the game like he has done throughout his career.
“He (Dhoni) does it so often. He takes it into the last over. When the supporters are biting the nail – they also know he is going to do it. But that anxiety, that you feel. He has done it so many times in his career,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
