Nerveless Dhoni pulls off last-ball victory
With his team looking down and out, MS Dhoni smacked an unbeaten 61 off 34 balls to lift Rising Pune Supergiant to a six-wicket victory
With his team looking down and out, MS Dhoni smacked an unbeaten 61 off 34 balls to lift Rising Pune Supergiant to a six-wicket victory
Commentator: Alagappan Muthu
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MS Dhoni is Man of the Match for his 61 off 34 balls. "It was a difficult one. But it was important that since we had strikers in the back of the innings, it was important we take Rashid out of the game. And one side we can hit with the breeze. One side can always hit with it. You can't always win games like this. I think we did very well. Manoj contributed, which was very important because he didn't eat too many deliveries. There is no run-rate tha is high. It boils down to how well the opposition bowlers execute. So seven, eight, nine, ten, doesn't matter. What matters is keeping your calmness."
"Got pretty close towards the end, but MS did what's he's done for such a long period of time. Under pressure, he comes good again," the winning Pune captain Steven Smith says, "It was a 160-165 wicket, 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. We have four games now at home and one in Mumbai and hopefully we can get up the ladder"
7.35 pm Well, it was worth the wait. MS Dhoni has been struggling all through this IPL. But today, after he was involved in the run-out of the team's top scorer before him, he became a different batsman. And because of that his team, Rising Pune Supergiant, has jumped from last place to fourth. They will stay there too, if Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Daredevils in the second game of the day.
Right, Pune needed 62 off the last 30 balls and against a good bowling team, that was a pretty tough ask. Much of that is because of Bhuvneshwar Kumar's excellent form in the slog overs, but today, he went for 19 runs in the 19th over. He lost the one-on-one battle with Dhoni, as many bowlers have have done before.
It's the first last-ball win for the chasing team this season. The last in IPL was also by Pune v Kings XI last year. MSD has hit the winning runs in both.
Raza: "MS deserves more than that the ball wasn't the greatest and not according to the field. Nobody has been able to hit Bhuvi, he did.
Afsar: "When 2 runs needed per ball, MSD scored 36 runs from 13 balls, that's why he called as best finisher in the world!!!"
Rook: "Oh wow, this is why we love the ipl all over the world. After everything said about MSD this tournament as well, you couldn't write it. I think I need to sit down..."
Two needed off one ball, and Dhoni's back on strike. He walks up to his partner and touches gloves. The calmness hasn't gone away. Bhuvi comes up to Kaul to have a chat again. Warner joins in. Anyone thinking about a tie? A Super Over? Deep fine leg, square leg, long-on. Field set for a yorker on leg
Four off two needed. Dhoni on strike now. Rips his gloves off, puts them back on. Gets his game face on. Checks the field. And then gets into his stance.
Third man up, point up. Cover deep
And the game slows down now. Bhuvi with Kaul. Tiwary with Dhoni. Plans being made. The crowd being made to soak in the tension
Dhoni v Kaul and the crowd are making a heck of a lot of noise about who they are supporting. Warner, Bhuvi and Kaul in conversation. Six off four needed
Who will bowl the final over? This huge final over. He will have to defend 10 runs. Kaul? Henriques? It's Kaul. Tiwary to face
Rising Pune will be encouraged by the performance of their local players in the win over RCB. Now, with an eye up the table, they will hope MS Dhoni regains his hitting form soon
By finishing a game against Sunrisers Hyderabad the best death-bowling team in the IPL, MS Dhoni reiterated his credentials as one of the game's greatest
Pandey-Pathan, Buttler-Patel and Dhoni-Tiwary make the cut for the top partnerships of the week
MS Dhoni made up for a slow start to remain unbeaten on 61 off 34 balls
The tournament's best death bowler was up against a man whose hitting form was on the wane. In the space of six deliveries, MS Dhoni settled the form v reputation debate in style