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Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by three runs in an absolute thriller at the Chepauk Stadium on Wednesday (April 12). The win sees RR top the 2023 IPL points table, while CSK are fifth.
Jos Buttler (52) led the way for the visitors, with contributions from Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal and Ravichandran Ashwin. Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers with a spell of 2/21 in 4 overs.
In response, CSK had Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Dhoni and Jadeja chip in with valuable contributions at different stages of the game. However, it did not prove to be enough. Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal picked up two wickets each and did not allow the hosts to run away with the game.
On that note, here's a look at three instances when Dhoni failed to hit a last-ball six to clinch an IPL thriller.
#1 CSK v RR, Chepauk 2023
MS Dhoni walked out to bat with the team requiring 63 runs off just 30 balls with 4 wickets in hand. His partner Ravindra Jadeja had only faced two balls at that stage.
The duo decided not to attack Rajasthan Royals' spinners until the end of the 17th over, scoring only 9 runs in the 2 overs. Dhoni then hit Adam Zampa for a four and a six in the 18th over, as CSK scored 14 runs off that over.
CSK now required 40 runs in two overs against the RR pacers. Jadeja came in on the act, hitting a four and 2 sixes and ensuring that the target was within reach come the final over.
Dhoni hit two sixes off Sandeep Sharma in the 20th over, bringing the equation down to seven runs off three balls. However, Sandeep bowled two brilliant yorkers and the former Indian skipper could only take a single off the last ball when six runs were needed. He finished with a brilliant effort of 32* from just 17 balls.
#2 CSK v RCB, Chinnaswamy 2019
MS Dhoni and CSK fans fondly remember the 2019 game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy stadium as one of his greatest performances in a losing cause.
RCB batted first and scored 161/7, as Parthiv Patel top-scored with a valuable 53 off 37 deliveries. Moeen Ali also chipped in with a vital 26 off 16 deliveries. Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo and Deepak Chahar all took two wickets each and restricted RCB to a below-par total.
In their chase, CSK lost early wickets and were reduced to 28/4 at the end of the powerplay. The onus was then on the skipper to pull off something miraculous and he constructed a brilliantly paced knock in a difficult run-chase with all the pressure on him.
CSK needed 26 off the last over with no other recognized batter, besides Dhoni, left. Dhoni smashed Umesh Yadav for three sixes and a four in the first five balls, bringing the equation down to just two runs off the final ball. On the last delivery, he failed to strike the ball and ran for a bye instead. However, a direct hit from Parthiv Patel meant that Shardul Thakur was run out and CSK were short by just one run.
#3 RPS v SRH, Vizag 2016
In 2016, Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) had to chase down 138 runs on a Vizag wicket that had a lot of help for the spinners. Adam Zampa returned with figures of 6/19 in four overs, as no SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter could get going. Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson were the only players to cross 30 in the first innings.
It was not an easy ask for RPS batters, either. George Bailey laboured his way to 34 runs off 40 deliveries, while Ashwin scored 29 off 25 balls. Dhoni walked into bat when they needed another 60 runs off 40 balls, and the required run rate had shot up to 11.5 at the end of the 16th over.
Mustafizur Rahman conceded only 13 runs off his last two overs, leaving the final over for Ashish Nehra with 14 runs required. The equation came down to 12 off 3, after which Dhoni hit a six. However, he was run out on the penultimate delivery when he tried to take a double. RPS lost the game by four runs, despite the captain's 30 off 20 balls and Thisara Perera's 17 off 13 balls.
