MS Dhoni stumped Delhi's Chris Morris and Shreyas Iyer.
MS Dhoni just returned from illness to play in Match 50 of the IPL and it seems that he has recovered fully as the Chennai Super Kings skipper stumped two batsmen, MID-AIR, in a span of three balls against Delhi Capitals at the M A Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. (Match Highlights)
In the 11th over bowled by Ravindra Jadeja, Delhi were struggling and the least the batsmen expected was for Dhoni to strike from behind and every cricketer knows, 'you miss, he hits'. (Match Scorecard)
Dhoni stumped Chris Morris and Jagadeesha Suchith in a span of three balls. What is even more gobsmacking, is that he stumped the two batsmen MID-AIR.
Here's how the commentary went for the two dismissals.
11.4 overs: Ravindra Jadeja to Chris Morris, OUT! That's what flashes on the big screen. Dhoni is lightning quick and you do not lift your foot against him. Morris is a goner, a first-ball duck for him. A flatter one outside off and turns sharply to beat the outside edge of Morris as he looks to defend. He though ends up lifting his back foot and Dhoni whips off the bails in a flash. The replays roll on and lo and behold, the foot is in the air. 7 down!
11.6: Ravindra Jadeja to Shreyas Iyer, OUT! Dhoni is a wizard and is faster than light. Shreyas Iyer is the man to walk out now and it would not be too off the mark to say that Delhi's final hope too vanishes with him. A flatter one on off, grips and there is quick turn which beats the outside edge of the Delhi skipper. Dhoni again collects and whips off the bails. And once more, the back foot is in the air as the replays come on. The big screen flashes out and Chepauk is bustling! Delhi have quite superbly slumped from 52-1 to 85-8! 2 runs and 2 wickets off this over from Jadeja, it has been his night!
STAT: Dhoni stumped Morris with 0.12 seconds and his foot was just about a centimetre from the ground! While Iyer was stumped in 0.16 seconds and his foot was nearly a centimetre above the ground.
If Dhoni's stumping did not impress the fans around the nation, his batting prowess powered the hosts to 179/4 in 20 overs after being put to bat first by Delhi. Suresh Raina struck a fighting half-century before Dhoni provided a late push with an unbeaten 44 off 22 balls.
Dhoni creamed off 20 runs from Kiwi pacer Trent Boult's final over, hitting two sixes and four. This was after Boult and left-arm spinner Jagdeesha Suchith (2/28) had straight-jacketed the Chennai batsmen after electing bowl.
After wickets fell at a rapid face, CSK bowled out Delhi for 99, to win the clash by 80 runs, with 22 balls to spare and reclaim their top spot.
