Chennai:MS Dhoni, one of the finest finishers of all time, went under scanner last night on Wednesday when the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper was batting at the end of the innings against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
The CSK wicket-keeper batter, who has been brilliant with the bat in the IPL 2024, faced PBKS left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh for the last over and surprisingly denied his teammate Daryl Mitchell a single on one of the deliveries. With four balls remaining in the over, Daryl Mitchell was left in a quandary as he had to run the entire length of the pitch on his own after MS Dhoni chose not to take a run. A slow-motion replay even showed Dhoni screaming at Mitchell to scamper back.
This led to Mitchell, who is known for his power hitting, walk back to the dressing room without even facing a single delivery in the final over. Incidentally, MS Dhoni was run out on the last ball of the over while trying to take a double.
"By denying a single to Daryl Mitchell…Dhoni proves he is the most selfish cricketer. Thala for a reason," a user on X wrote, while another said, "Daryl Mitchell being a good finisher is not even a question here. But refusing a single like this was one of the worst and most humiliating ways I have ever seen in cricket. That poor guy literally ran two."