It was yet another nail-biter finish at Jaipur today as Chennai Super Kings stole the last-ball victory against the hosts Rajasthan Royals.
While the tail-enders helped Rajasthan to reach 151, it was Dhoni and Rayudu who not only steadied the innings but also took the team close to the victory.
After losing four wickets early, Dhoni-Rayudu partnership took the match close and CSK needed 18 off the final over.
Ben Stokes was the bowler on the other side and Jadeja was on strike for the first delivery.
19.1:
Jadeja chased the full wide off delivery and middled it before falling down on the ground. While both the batsman and the bowler slipped, Dhoni was running to the other end, asking Jadeja to run as well. He then turns, watches the ball sail over the boundary, funnily hits Jadeja’s helmet with the bat twice.
12 off 5 deliveries.
19.2:
Stokes bowls a no-ball, Jadeja pushes it to the extra cover, picks up a single.
11 off 5 deliveries.
Free hit: With Dhoni on strike and the expectations level was sky high but unfortunately for CSK or fortunately for Stokes, Dhoni doesn’t get hold of the slower, back of the length delivery and picks up two.
8 off 4 deliveries.
19.3:
To add more drama to the match, Stokes comes good at the right time to produce a perfect delivery that went through the legs and the bat of Dhoni who was trying to give himself a bit of room. He had to walk back now.
9 off 3 deliveries.
19.4:
Stokes tries a yorker once again but misses it and it clearly looks like a no-ball. Santner runs two. The umpire first gives a no-ball but revokes it later on. Furious Dhoni walks in to have a deep chat with the umpires, Stokes tries to calms him down but Dhoni made his voice heard here. This is something unlike him. He definitely will be sanctioned for it. To talk in defense of Dhoni, the umpire did signal a no-ball. It wasn’t a half sign.
6 off 2 deliveries
19.5:
Stokes bowls one wide off to Santner who hits it to the long-on for two runs.
4 off 1 deliveries.
Wide. Stokes misses the target.
3 off 1 deliveries
While the entire stadium was in pressure, Santner backs himself to hit back over the bowler’s head for a six and CSK win!
I don’t know women’s game can continue to be as inactive as it has been: Ian Bishop