MS Dhoni
Chennai Super Kings' talisman skipper MS Dhoni played his part to perfection in an extraordinary script as they beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the final of the IPL 2021 on Friday. In a one-sided affair at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Chennai staged a remarkable turnaround to add a fourth trophy to their name, having finished seventh in a nightmarish 2020 season.
Experienced Faf du Plessis hit a brilliant 86 off 59 balls, laced with seven fours and three sixes, to help CSK post 192 for 3 after they were put to bat first.
The right-handed opener first put up 61 runs with his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and that was followed by a 63-run stand with Robin Uthappa (31 off 15 balls) for the second wicket. All-rounder Moeen Ali then made a late flourish with a stroke-filled 37 not out off 20 balls.
In response, Kolkata could manage 165 for 9 in their 20 overs with Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer hitting 51 and 50 respectively.
As Chennai's cruised to the fourth title victory, Dhoni ruled out his retirement from the IPL with a cheeky response in the post-match presentation. When Harsha Bhogle then asked him about the legacy he has left at CSK, Dhoni said, "Well, I still haven't left."
"Well it's not about me playing for CSK, it's about what is best for CSK. The core group has carried the team for 10 years. No, we need to see what is best," said the 40-year-old about his next year's plans, moments before collecting the IPL 2021 trophy from BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah.
Dhoni had responded with "Definitely Not" last year after being asked whether it was his final season with the Chennai-based outfit. He also heaped praise on Kolkata, labelling them the deserving team to clinch the title this year.
"For the position they were in after the first phase, to perform this well, it's very difficult. If any team deserved to win the IPL this year, it is KKR for the way they have played. I think the break helped them. Yes, we are the most consistent team looking at the stats but we have also lost finals. Not letting the opposition in is something we consciously wanted to improve," he said.
"You can't deliver without a good team. We also have great individuals as well. I would love to thank the fans. We are in Dubai now. Even when we played in South Africa, we always got a good amount of support. Thanks to all of them. If feels like Chepauk, Chennai. Hopefully, we will come back to play of the Chennai fans next year," Dhoni signed off.
