Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) icon MS Dhoni batted for the first time in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season as he walked out through the middle during the match against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Visakhapatnam. Dhoni did not get a chance to bat in CSK’s first two matches after relegating himself in the order. However, with CSK in a losing position after losing six wickets against DC, Dhoni eventually walked out to bat amid the raucous reception from the Vizag crowd.
On the very first ball he faced, Dhoni hit Mukesh Kumar for a boundary. He ended the over with another boundary.
Here’s how fans reacted to it:
MS DHONI BROUGHT A BOUNDARY IN THE FIRST BALL IN IPL 2024. pic.twitter.com/RO2D6jngiP
– Johannes. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 31, 2024
CSK fans at Vishakapatnam:-
“Dhoni Dhoni”
“Thala Thala”
“Mahi Mahi”#CSKvsDC #MSDhoni pic.twitter.com/adkxsMzQYp— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) March 31, 2024
DHONI HIT THE FIRST BALL TO FOUR..!!.
Fans are going crazy.#DCvCSK pic.twitter.com/WBURv7M0Ca— Amresh (@AkRo_45) March 31, 2024
Earlier, comeback man Rishabh Pant announced his arrival with a brilliant fifty after opening duo David Warner and Prithvi Shaw provided the foundation as Delhi Capitals posted a competitive 191 for 5 against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL match on Sunday.
Warner and Shaw opted to bat and shared an opening stand of 93 runs, but the highlight of the day was Pant’s 32-ball 51, which eventually gave them the impetus.
Pant, who entered the tournament after recovering from a life-threatening road accident in December 2022, crossed four boundaries and three maximums for his first fifty in 15 months.
The in-form Warner hit five boundaries and three maximums during his 35-ball 52, his 110th T20 fifty, which equaled Chris Gayle’s record of most fifty-plus scores in T20s.
In his first match this season, Shaw, who has not been able to live up to his immense talent, once again reminded everyone of his boundary-hitting skills as he smashed two sixes and four boundaries in his 27-ball 43.
However, pacer Matheesha Pathirana produced a sensational catch to dismiss Warner and then returned to strike twice in three balls to bring CSK back into the match.
But Pant, who looked good in his two previous innings, initially bided his time and then exploded to take them close to a total of 200.
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