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I wanted to play scoop shot vs Bumrah but Dhoni said 'wait, wait, wait': Pretorius on how MSD planned the perfect finish

ByHT Sports Desk, New Delhi
Apr 22, 2022 04:26 PM IST

IPL 2022: Dwaine Pretorius revealed that during the 17th over, when MI's strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah returned, his idea was to take a chance against him with a scoop shot, but mastermind Dhoni asked him to hold on.

He is 40. He is retired internationally. He has absolutely no match practice heading into the IPL. And yet, when the opportunity comes, MS Dhoni finishes off matches for Chennai Super Kings. On Thursday night at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium, Dhoni turned back the clock as the 'finisher' in him came to the fore again and saw CSK over the line in a tense chase against Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2022 match. With 16 needed off four balls, Dhoni went 6, 4, 2, 4 to inflict a seventh straight defeat on the five-time champions. (Also Read: List of unique records Dhoni and CSK broke with their last-ball victory vs MI)

MS Dhoni and Dwaine Pretorius.  (BCCI)

However, the real turning point of the match was the crucial eighth wicket partnership between Dhoni and Dwaine Pretorius. Robin Uthappa’s 30 and a solid 40 from Ambati Rayudu had helped steady the CSK ship a little after they were reduced to 16/2, but a strong comeback by MI between overs 10 and 18 kept them alive in the contest. From there, Pretorius and Dhoni added vital 33 runs in less than four overs.

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Pretorius' calculated assault on MI went a long way in getting CSK the win. He revealed that during the 17th over, when MI’s strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah returned, his idea was to take a chance against him with a scoop shot, but mastermind Dhoni asked him to hold on. That was just the start of a legendary plan Dhoni had in mind to see his team through.

"I wanted to go for that scoop shot in the first over against Bumrah but he [Dhoni] said wait, wait, wait and I waited," Pretorius told Star Sports after the match. "The next time I said that now I am going [for the scoop] and he said go for it. He (Dhoni) is the master at finishing. Did it again tonight."

The calculation was spot on as smashes Unadkat for a six in the next over and then hit a couple off boundaries in Bumrah’s final over, setting the platform for Dhoni's finishing act.

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