IPL 2019 Final: Why MS Dhoni's run out made all the difference in the end
It was just one run that separated the winner and runner-up in the summit clash of the 2019 Indian Premier League. In the end, Mumbai Indians held their nerve and clinched the title for a record fourth time.
Yes, there were many defining moments in the game. Some might say that it was Pollard’s cameo that propelled Mumbai to a competitive 149 that made the difference. Others might claim that Malinga’s slow yorker in the last ball of the match proved decisive. A few might argue that it was the dismissal of Shane Watson that turned the tide in Mumbai’s favor. For many, Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliant penultimate over won the match for Rohit Sharma's side.
However, the decisive moment that swung the match in Mumbai’s favor, was the run out of the legendary MS Dhoni for just two runs. The first question that arose was, was Dhoni out? Was there considerable evidence to prove that his bat was completely behind the line?
The third umpire took almost an eternity to give the decision. And generally, if there is no conclusive evidence, the benefit of the doubt should have been given in favor of the batsman. But, the third umpire ruled Dhoni out in this instance.
Every cricket fans knows what Dhoni can do with the bat in a chase especially in a final. He is the master of the chase, a man who could have swung the match in Chennai’s favor. Dhoni has scored over 400 runs in the tournament, at a strike rate of over 134.62 and was in red-hot form.
What if Dhoni had been ruled Not out? Would CSK have won the title? Well, that is anybody’s guess but it would surely have been a completely different game and given Rohit Sharma a lot more to worry about.
But then, of all the thrilling moments that the humdinger of a final provided us, it was the CSK captain's run out that proved to the biggest turning point of the match.