Watch: Vintage MS Dhoni bludgeons back-to-back sixes to script humongous T20 record; Doull, Gavaskar can’t keep calm

With the twin strikes that sent the Chepauk crowd berserk and commentators Simon Doull and Sunil Gavaskar astounded, Dhoni scripted a magnificent T20 feat.

MS Dhoni and last-over finishes is an affair secret to none. There is something that he deeply enjoys about going for the big ones in the final over of an innings, as seen throughout his illustrious career and the crowd, they know it and hence expect it. Even in the extreme Chennai heat, in the afternoon IPL 2023 match at the Chepauk, thousands gathered for that one bit of batting show and they had their money's worth. Despite CSK having slowed down in the death overs, vintage Dhoni turned back the clock to hit two back-to-back sixes against Punjab Kings on Sunday to help the team finish with 200. With the twin strikes that sent the Chepauk crowd berserk and commentators Simon Doull and Sunil Gavaskar astounded, Dhoni scripted a magnificent T20 feat. (CSK vs PBKS Live Score, IPL 2023)

Vintage MS Dhoni bludgeons back-to-back sixes vs PBKS

The script was usual as for most of Chennai's innings this season. Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed in the first ball of the final over by Sam Curran and Chepauk crowd couldn't keep calm as their hero walked in. Dhoni failed to make contact against the slower and shorter one in the first delivery he faced before he managed a single to put Conway on strike.

Conway was batting in 91 and had the chance to complete his century this season. On the fourth ball of the over, he went for the big one, but Liam Livingstone stopped the effort, although the catch was denied after review by the third umpire. Dhoni was back in strike for the penultimate ball and Curran stuck to his plan. It was slower and shorter and outside the off and this time Dhoni did not shuffle across as he slapped it over backward point for a six. Chepauk went wild, but the show wasn't over yet.

Curran changed his plan for the final ball. He looked for the fuller one at stumps, but erred in length as Dhoni swung hard at the full toss delivery top dispatch it high over midwicket for a six.

Doull, in the commentary box, was left astounded at the back-to-back sixes while Gavaskar said: “Look at the crowd behind. The moment he hit the ball, they knew it was going into the stands. Amazing!”

With the twin sixes, Dhoni became the second batter ever to amass 1000 runs in the 20th over in T20 cricket. The only other batter to have ever achieved the four-figure mark is former West Indies and Mumbai Indians batter Kieron Pollard. 709 of Dhoni's runs in the 20th over came in IPL which stands top of the list in the tournament followed by Pollard's 405.