6,6,6. The first three balls that Mahendra Singh Dhoni played, he smashed Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya for three back-to-back sixes to take Chennai Super Kings (CSK)) above 200 in the match between the two Indian Premier League heavyweights on Sunday. (Follow Live | Full Coverage)
Fans at the Wankhede Stadium waited for 19.2 overs to see 'Thala' come out to bat. But when the former Indian skipper finally came out, the wait was worth their while as they were treated by the glimpses of a vintage MS Dhoni hitting sixes in the final over.
Despite chatters of his impending retirement going around, the 42-year-old seems to have not lost a shred of power and it was visible in the first ball that he played.
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Pandya delivered a length ball away from Dhoni's reach but a powerful strike from the Ranchi boy saw the ball sail over long-off's head for a six. The MI skipper than bowled another slot ball but this time on the stump line.However, the result remained the same. Dhoni struck a powerful bottom-handed blow to slog the ball over the mid wicket boundary for another maximum.
An under-pressure Pandya then tried a yorker but unfortunately, or fortunately for the fans, missed and it was enough for Dhoni to lift it over the square-leg fence to complete a hat-trick of sixes.
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The crowd went crazy as the third six had also brought up 200 for the Super Kings.
Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's 69 off 45 deliveries and Shivam Dube's 38-ball 66 not out and Dhoni's last over pyrotechnics fired CSK's total to 206/4 in the 20 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah had another impressive outing with the MI pace spearhead escaping punishment giving away just 27 runs in his four overs. Although he went wicketless. Hardik Pandya who took two wickets gave away 43 runs in three overs. Gerald Coetzee took the opening wicket of Rahane while Shreyas Gopal dismissed Rachin Ravindra in his solitary over.
