Chase master Dhoni back with a bang, delivers for RPS
It was a difficult one. You can’t always win games like this. I think we did very well. Seven, eight, nine, ten, doesn’t matter. What matters is keeping your calmness. We probably didn’t execute our plans as well as I thought. We batted really well, Tripathi at the top and MS did what he’s done for such a long time.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni lashed a last-ball boundary to cap a terrific half-century and steer Rising Pune Supergiant to a thrilling second victory at home, by six wickets against holders Sunrisers Hyderabad, in the IPL at Pune on Saturday.
Dhoni, criticised for repeatedly failing with the bat, regained his finishing touch to leave RPS needing 11 runs off the final over bowled by pace bowler Siddarth Kaul. With two needed off the last ball, the former India skipper smashed it to the extra cover fence, taking RPS to 179 for four chasing Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 177.
Having opted to bowl, RPS faced a challenging total after Moises Henriques slammed his second cracking half-century after Ajinkya Rahane fell cheaply. His brilliant knock of 59 was laced with three sixes and six boundaries. He was run out after a brilliant throw from Rashid Khan caught him short. Steve Smith had gone by then and when Ben Stokes fell in the 17th over, all hopes were pinned on Dhoni. With his side needing 56 off 23 deliveries, he kept his cool.
Dhoni struck five boundaries and three sixes, including one that brought up his half-century as he plundered runs to pull the momentum back in his team’s favour. He smacked Siraj for a six and a four in the 18th over before hitting two consecutive boundaries and a six in the penultimate over, which left RPS needing 11 runs off the last six balls.
Manoj Tiwary picked up four off the first ball, though Rashid dropped him on the ropes. The next four deliveries yielded just five runs. But with two required off the last ball, and Dhoni on strike, the odds were heavily against the bowler.