MS Dhoni rewrote Indian Premier League (IPL) history on Friday, becoming the first wicketkeeper to surpass 5,000 runs in the tournament. The feat came during the Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) clash against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium.
Dhoni entered the fray after Moeen Ali's dismissal in the 18th over, igniting the crowd with a nine-ball blitz of 28 runs. His knock, laced with three fours and two sixes, propelled CSK to a fighting total of 176/6 on a challenging wicket.
This innings takes Dhoni's overall IPL tally to 5,023 runs. Dinesh Karthik (Royal Challengers Bangalore) stands a distant second with 4,742 runs.
Dhoni's current form in the IPL is remarkable. He remains unbeaten this season, amassing 87 runs at a staggering strike rate of over 255. Notably, he has been particularly dominant in the 20th over, compiling 57 runs off 16 balls with four fours and six sixes for a phenomenal strike rate of 356.25.
Earlier, CSK opted to bat first but faced early pressure from Lucknow's pace attack. Ravindra Jadeja anchored the innings with a composed knock of five fours and a six, but top and middle-order failures threatened to derail their progress.
However, Moeen Ali's three sixes off Ravi Bishnoi (1/44) and a late surge by Dhoni swung the momentum back in CSK's favour. Mohsin Khan's expensive 19th over, conceding 15 runs, further aided their cause. CSK plundered 63 runs in the final four overs, ensuring they posted a competitive total.
