Lucknow: When the chips are down, trust Thala to turn it around. MS Dhoni – calm, composed, calculated – walked out with 56 required off 30 balls and Ekana Stadium roaring like a colosseum. What followed next? Pure theatre. Pure Dhoni.
A 43-year-old warrior with nerves of steel took the crease, and in just 11 balls, he sent a packed crowd and millions watching home into rapture with an unbeaten 26 that screamed vintage flair. Boundaries? Four. Sixes? One. Nerves shattered? Plenty – especially in the LSG dugout.
Final over, 3 balls to go. CSK need 3.
In steps Shivam Dube. Thwack! A cover drive that could slice the moon. CSK 168/5.
Victory sealed. The Men in Yellow are back – and how!
Earlier in the evening, Rishabh Pant gave the Lucknow faithful something to cheer about, finally clicking in IPL 2025 with a gutsy 63, anchoring LSG to 166/7. Despite early setbacks and Nicholas Pooran’s rare misfire, Pant stood tall, soaking pressure and rotating strike masterfully. But CSK bowlers – Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad – ensured it didn’t get out of hand, mixing guile and grit to keep things tight.
Dhoni, meanwhile, showed he’s still a keeper in every sense – effecting sharp takes, clever nudges to his bowlers, and field placements that squeezed LSG’s momentum dry.
Chennai’s chase? It started bright – Shaikh Rasheed dazzled on debut, Rachin Ravindra provided stability, but the middle-order stuttered. Wickets tumbled. From 59/1, they slipped to 111/5. The ask ballooned. Drama peaked.
Then came the moment.
“And here walks in Dhoni…”
Cue: deafening cheers, goosebumps, and a masterclass in pressure finishing. From wide yorkers slashed past third man to a signature one-handed six over midwicket, the Dhoni symphony had it all. The equation kept sliding CSK’s way — 56 off 30… 36 off 18… 10 off 9… down to zero with balls to spare.
For the record, CSK won by 5 wickets, sealing their second win of the season. But more than numbers, it was about nostalgia, magic, and watching one of cricket’s coolest finishers do what he does best — finish.
Tonight, the King didn’t just roar. He conquered.
Thala for a reason.
