Cricket
Following CSK's 27-run defeat to RCB on Saturday, it confirmed the end of the road for the Men in Yellow in the IPL 2024.
Updated : May 19, 2024, 03:24 PM IST
MS Dhoni has experienced numerous highs and lows throughout his illustrious career. However, the loss of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 18 in the IPL 2024 must have been a particularly bitter defeat for the iconic wicketkeeper-batsman.
This season was anticipated to be Dhoni's final one as a professional cricketer, and the veteran player undoubtedly hoped to conclude his career on a triumphant note. Despite grappling with a knee injury, the 42-year-old persevered and participated in all 14 of Chennai's matches this season. Following CSK's 27-run defeat to RCB on Saturday, it confirmed the end of the road for the Men in Yellow in the IPL 2024.
A video captured by a fan at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium shows a dejected Dhoni exiting the field without engaging in the usual post-match handshakes with the opposing players following an intense match. However, he did take the time to acknowledge the RCB support staff as he made his way out.
After yesterday's game #Dhoni was not even ready to shake hands with RCB players. was fan of him but this is really not a cool behaviour for such a star and senior cricketer.
— Karthi (Modi Ka Parivar) (@SaffronSurge3) May 19, 2024
Disgrace to say the least.#RCBvsCSK | #ViratKohli | #Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/OsYJNvKt1u
Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and elected to field first, putting RCB in to bat. Faf du Plessis showcased his leadership skills by scoring a quick 54 off 39 balls, setting the tone for Chennai's innings. Despite a challenging pitch, Virat Kohli also made a significant contribution with a 47 off 29 balls. Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik, and Glenn Maxwell played crucial roles in helping the hosts reach a formidable total of 218/5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Chennai needed to chase down 201 runs to secure their spot in the playoffs and surpass RCB on the points table. Rachin Ravindra played a stellar innings, scoring 61 off 37 balls and stabilizing the innings after the team lost two early wickets. Despite valiant efforts from Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni towards the end, Chennai fell short of the target. RCB emerged victorious by 27 runs, restricting CSK to 191/7.
Du Plessis and his team will now prepare for the Eliminator match scheduled for Wednesday, May 22.