Celebrating Captain Cool: 5 greatest MS Dhoni finishes in the IPL

#2 MS Dhoni for RPS vs KXIP (IPL 2016)

MS Dhoni scored 16 runs off the last 3 balls against KXIP

MS Dhoni joined new franchise Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2017 edition of the IPL. Despite a disappointing campaign overall, cricket fans across the world were treated to a death-overs batting clinic by MS Dhoni, who finished on 64 off 32 balls against the Kings XI Punjab at Vizag.

Even when KXIP captain Murali Vijay tossed the ball to Axar Patel ahead of Kyle Abbott, not many expected MS Dhoni to chase the remaining 23 runs. After only 7 runs were scored off the first 3 balls, RPS's chances further dwindled. But with 16 needed of the remaining 3 balls, MS Dhoni went 4, 6, 6 to pull off one of the greatest escape acts in IPL history.

This innings would have definitely made the No. 1 spot on the list, if not for the stage on which the following innings took place.

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#1 MS Dhoni for CSK vs KXIP (IPL 2010)

MS Dhoni punched himself in the face after an improbable win against KXIP

With CSK's qualification to the knockout stages on the line against KXIP in IPL 2010, Irfan Pathan was left with 16 runs to defend against MS Dhoni and Albie Morkel.

After the first ball was sent to the cover boundary with surgical precision, a misfield by Piyush Chawla at long-on meant that MS Dhoni was back on strike with four balls left and 10 runs to get. The left-armer lost the plot thereafter, and bowled two length balls that the CSK skipper absolutely massacred over long-on to carry his team into the semi-finals for the third consecutive time.

After hitting the winning six, MS Dhoni punched himself in the face in a rare show of unbridled emotion as Morkel clung on to him from behind. His teammates rushed onto the field as KXIP co-owner Preity Zinta slumped disconsolately in her hospitality box.

This remains one of the most iconic IPL moments of all time.

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