File image of MS Dhoni
South Africa and Chennai Super Kings batsman Faf du Plessis was all of praise for his IPL skipper MS Dhoni and his ability to finish games almost all the time, as he recollected the former Indian captain's stunning 84 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2019.
Dhoni scored an unbeaten 84 in that match off 48 deliveries with seven sixes and five fours as CSK looked to chase the target of 162 after losing some early wickets.
RCB had rattled CSK to 32 for four, courtesy Dale Steyn, but CSK bounced back riding on a 55-run stand between Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu. Rayudu scored a run-a-ball 29 before Dhoni was joined by Dwayne Bravo. Dhoni scored 84, but was unable to finish the match for Chennai as CSK fell one run short of the target.
"There have been a lot of them but I will mention that is fresh in my memory. Last year against RCB. I think we were 60-6 or 7 and basically we should be bowled out for 90. He was in at the moment and absorbed pressure very well. Then he started hitting more and more sixes. The sixes he was hitting was out of the stadium. He ended up getting 87 off 40-odd balls (sic). I think it was 26 required off the last over and after the game, we were like what just happened," Plessis said.
Du Plessis then hailed Dhoni as the best finisher of the game and said: "And lastly MS Dhoni has been, obviously, part of the team since the beginning but I see him as the best finisher in the game. Through have been on the field and side of the field for so many years just see him construct innings together and how he has finished games."
