Only a week into IPL 2023, Mark Wood has managed to take a big lead in the purple cap's race for the highest wicket-taker of the tournament. With eight wickets in two matches, Wood has looked apart. His pace, accuracy, and ability to extract movement off the deck have been exemplary. He was one of the main reasons why Lucknow Super Giants defended 193 quite easily against a strong Delhi Capitals batting unit. Wood picked up his maiden five-for in only his second appearance in the IPL. Even in LSG's next game against Chennai Super Kings, Wood was mostly in control despite an onslaught by CSK openers Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
It was only in the last over of the CSK innings that Wood appeared to be under the pump. To be precise, it was just the three balls that he was up against MS Dhoni. The England paceman did get Dhoni out in the third ball but the previous two were hit for sixes. The 41-year-old CSK captain made one of the world's fastest bowlers sweat, and feel the nerves. For he had hit one of his perfectly executed deliveries for an 89-metre six.
It was a short delivery just outside off stump and climbing. Dhoni got in position quickly and somehow used his strong wrists to pull the ball from outside the off stump and made a good enough connection to send it sailing into the crowd. After the match, Wood revealed that he had bowled exactly where LSG captain KL Rahul and he had planned but Dhoni still managed to get the better of him.
"I and KL were talking. We were trying to stay calm and trying to work out how to get him out. In my mind, I was not trying to be defensive. I was actually thinking of ways to stop him from scoring runs and get him out. Unfortunately, it cost me 12 runs. But, that second shot in particular was an amazing shot. I bowled it exactly where KL and I decided. Get a bouncer and get it wide so that he has to fetch it if he is to take it. For him to hit it that far was pretty incredible," Wood said.
{{/usCountry}}"I and KL were talking. We were trying to stay calm and trying to work out how to get him out. In my mind, I was not trying to be defensive. I was actually thinking of ways to stop him from scoring runs and get him out. Unfortunately, it cost me 12 runs. But, that second shot in particular was an amazing shot. I bowled it exactly where KL and I decided. Get a bouncer and get it wide so that he has to fetch it if he is to take it. For him to hit it that far was pretty incredible," Wood said.
{{/usCountry}}This six came after Dhoni had got off the mark with a six over third man. The noise of the packed Chepauk crowd when the legendary cricketer made his way into the centre went up several notches.
"The noise when he came out to bat and then when he hit those two balls were definitely the loudest I have played in front of. It was eye-opening but it was a great experience to look back," Wood, who made his IPL debut for CSK in IPL 2018 under Dhoni's captaincy, added.