Highlights:
- Rajasthan Royals defeats Chennai Super Kings in their first IPL 2020 match
- MS Dhoni chose to bat at number 7 despite having a colossal target to chase
- Dhoni came out to bat when CSK were 114 at a loss of 5 wickets in the 14th over
- He scored 29 not out off 17 balls with 3 sixes
On Tuesday, during the post match media session, skipper of Chenna Super Kings, Mahendra Singh Dhoni explained what was the reason behind him deciding to bat at number 7 position despite the team chasing a colossal of a target of 217 against Rajasthan Royals at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 22nd September 2020.
MS Dhoni came out to bat when his side were 114 at a loss of 5 wickets in the 14th over of that match which was slipping out of their grasp as quickly as it could.
He scored 29 not out off 17 balls with 3 sixes.
After his side was defeated by 16 runs, Dhoni said, “I haven’t batted for a long time. 14-day quarantine doesn’t help (why he isn’t batting higher). Also wanted to try different things, give opportunities to Sam. Have the opportunity to try different things. If it doesn’t work, you can always go back to your strengths,” during the media session.
Also Read: IPL 2020: Virat Kohli Hails Yuzvendra Chahal Saying Spinner “Changed The Game”
The CSK skipper said that a poor start proved disastrous for his side and the extras given away by his fast bowlers in the final over of the match also helped Royals post a high total.
Dhoni said, “217 on the board, you have to have a very good start. That was not the case. They batted really well. Steve and Sanju. You have to give credit to their bowlers too. There was a lot of dew. They knew what lengths to bowl. Their spinners didn’t try too many things.”
He added, “That was an error our spinners did in their first couple of overs. Without singling out anyone, a controllable we could have controlled is no-balls. Had we not bowled no-balls, we would have been chasing 200, and it would have been a very good game,”.
Batting first, the Rajasthan side put up a huge score of 216 against Chennai Super Kings as Sanju Samson scored 74 off just 32 balls. Steve Smith, skipper of Rajasthan Royals scored 69 off 47 balls after smashing four boundaries and four sixes which acted as the sheet anchor for his side and kept one end steady right from the beginning.
Though Chennai mounted a good comeback late into the Royals innings but Jofra Archer (27 off 8 balls) as he scored four sixes consecutive off Lungi Ngidi’s final over shifted the momentum in Rajasthan’s favour.
Both of CSK’s openers Shane Watson and Murali Vijay gave their side a good start and reached the 50-run stand in under six overs. However, just when CSK started looking dangerous, both openers were dismissed in a span of six deliveries.
With 38 needed from final 6 deliveries of the game, Dhoni hit Tom Curran for three consecutive sixes which will surely make his fans feel over the moon despite the side’s loss.
