MS Dhoni almost finishes off in style. But despite Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) one-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 39th match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019, Dhoni returned a hero, getting a new chapter in his celebrated life.
Needing 26 runs from the last over at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the 37-year-old hit Umesh Yadav for 4,6,6,2,6 then found his partner Shardul Thakur run out off the last ball when CSK need one run.
He remained unbeaten on 84 off 48 balls, with the help of five fours and seven sixes, which his highest score in IPL. In the process, he also became the first Indian to hit 200+ sixes in IPL.
Here are the videos, courtesy IPL:
Papa MSD's six, cheered by Ziva
Dhoni's 111-metre six
Dhoni's magical knock
In the end, it was Dhoni who lost to RCB. He could have taken singles in the previous overs. But, Dhoni playing at his breathtaking best just weeks ahead of the start of the Cricket World Cup 2019 augurs well for India.
He played a similar knock at in the same fixture at the same venue last year, hitting 70 off 34 balls as CSK chased down 206. But this year, his knock came in a losing cause.
