MS Dhoni scripted a sensational last-ball win for Chennai Super Kings against Mumbai Indians in match 33 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Thursday. The three-wicket win at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai helped the defending champions keep a realistic chance of finishing in the top four and qualify for the IPL playoffs. After the match, skipper Ravindra Jadeja showed gratitude by bowing down to the greatest finisher of the game.
Chasing a tricky target of 156, Chennai needed 17 runs in the final over, bowled by Jaydev Unadkat. And Dhoni sealed the win with a boundary off the last ball after hitting the third and fourth balls for six and four respectively. At one point, the equation was 48 runs off 24 balls. But the former skipper kept his calm and returned unbeaten on 28 off 13 balls.
Then, this happened:
With MS Dhoni not getting any younger, Chennai Super Kings anointed Ravindra Jadeja as the new captain. But Jadeja's reign got off to a worst-possible start with the four-time champions losing their first four matches.
They beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 23 runs, only to lose the next outing, this time to Gujarat Titans. Another defeat on Thursday would have put their campaign in serious jeopardy. But for now, they live to fight another day. And they still have Dhoni.
Later, Jadeja said: "We were very tense the way the game was going. But the great finisher of the game was still there, so we knew we had a chance. He's still here and doing it for us."
For Mumbai Indians, the most successful side in the IPL, this was their seventh defeat on the trot -- an unwanted first. No other team has lost the first seven matches in a season.
Chennai Super Kings next play Punjab Kings on April 25, while winless Mumbai Indians take on winless Lucknow Super Giants a day earlier.
