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Cricket

'Thala is back': MS Dhoni scores first 50 in 3 years in IPL 2022 opener

The last time MS Dhoni had reached 50 in the IPL was three years ago, when he had still been playing for India. Playing his first match for CSK not as captain, Dhoni found the spark again.

Thala is back: MS Dhoni scores first 50 in 3 years in IPL 2022 opener
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MS Dhoni raises his bat after reaching his 50 off the penultimate ball of the CSK innings vs KKR (CSK)

By

The Bridge Desk

Updated: 26 March 2022 5:46 PM GMT

MS Dhoni, playing his first match for CSK not as captain in the IPL 2022 opener vs KKR on Saturday, rescued his team with an unbeaten 50 off 38 balls. It was his first fifty in the IPL in three years and 28 innings.

The 40-year-old Dhoni's highest score last season was 18. The year before that it was 47. He had last reached the 50-mark in April 2019 vs RCB, when he had still been playing for India. His last international match turned out to be in the ODI World Cup later that year.

It was a vintage Dhoni innings which took CSK to a total of 131/5 vs KKR. He came in to bat with his side struggling at 64/5 in the 11th over, joining his successor Ravindra Jadeja. Both Dhoni and Jadeja had trouble timing the ball in the beginning. Dhoni was on 15 off 25 balls at one point.

But the former captain took the game by the scruff of the neck in the last three overs. He scored 34 runs in the last 16 balls he faced, ending with 50*. He celebrated his first 50 in three years with a humble raise of the bat even though the entire Wankhede was on its feet.

It was fitting that it was Dhoni who scored the first 50 of IPL 2022. He is also the oldest half-centurion in the history of the IPL. 'Thala is back,' announced the big screen at the ground.

His knock, the highest score in the CSK innings, helped set a target of 132 for KKR. He had shared a 70-run unbeaten stand with Jadeja to take them to a fighting total. KKR, however chased down the target with 9 balls to spare.

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