Indian cricket veteran MS Dhoni has added more records to his statistics, as the summit clash between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans marks his 250th match in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
This makes Dhoni the first cricketer to feature in 250 games of the top franchise-themed tournament. The 41-year-old is also the only player to make appearances in 11 IPL finals.
Dhoni has led the CSK to a victory in four of the 10 IPL finals so far. For the tally to increase to five, the men in yellow need to chase down a mammoth target of 215 runs.
Batting first, the Gujarat side took advantage of the flat track in Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi stadium, with Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha posting 67 runs in their opening stand. Saha went on to score 54 (39).
The team's total of 214/4 was powered by left-handed striker Sai Sudarshan, who scored 96 off only 47 balls. Skipper Hardik Pandya added 21 (12), whereas, all-rounder Rashid Khan was dismissed for a duck in the final over.
Among the bowlers, pacer Matheesha Pathirana struck two wickets but conceded 44 runs. Deepak Chahar and Ravindra Jadeja picked up a wicket each, while both conceded 38 runs in their four-over spells.
Dhoni, who usually ends up batting in the lower-order of the Chennai batting line-up, may have the crucial task of finishing up the 215 runs chase. Although the CSK captain has scored less than 200 runs in the tournament, his strike rate has been close to 204.
Dhoni is also the top five-run scorer in IPL finals so far, having scored 180 runs out of eight innings, at a strike rate of 135.33.
The GT vs CSK final could also be Dhoni's final on-field IPL appearance, experts say, citing his age. However, the former Indian skipper has left the fans speculating on playing another season. "I have 8-9 months to decide. I have ample time to decide. Why take that headache now? The auction is in December," he said during a post-match press conference on May 24.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
