IPL 2018: 5 times MS Dhoni failed to finish an IPL match
Every time MS Dhoni's name pops up in any cricketing conversation, the topics that are likely to be discussed are his tremendous captaincy record, the calm head he sports on his reliable shoulders, his hard-hitting batting proficiency and the sleek glove-work he pulls off behind the stumps.
The former Indian skipper's ability to finish the innings also one of the salient attributes that make him such a giant entity in the cricket universe today.
However, even for a finisher of the stature of Dhoni, a rare failure rears its ugly head from time to time. This article aims at dissecting the unsuccessful chasing attempts that have been spread far and few between his ten-year-long IPL career.
Let us look at the five instances when the right-handed batsman failed to take his team home in the second innings of an IPL game:
#5 Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (2008)
If there was one team that was a thorn in the mighty CSK's side in the first edition of the IPL, it was the Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals. They not only beat the Men in Yellow in the final of the tournament by an excruciating margin of just one wicket, they also rendered Dhoni incapable of completing a chase early on, in the group stages of the league.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, RR put up a formidable total of 211/5 at the end of 20 overs.
CSK tried hard to match up to the score, but fell short by ten runs at the end of it all. Dhoni, who looked ready for the long haul after scoring 12 from seven deliveries, was dismissed on the eighth ball he faced in the innings.
He walked back to the pavilion in the 18th over of the game, thereby ending the chances of CSK coming out on top in the exciting contest.