New Delhi: Pacer Sandeep Sharma impressed everyone as he defended 21 runs after getting hit for two sixes in the last over against CSK. While he got hit for two flat sixes by MS Dhoni, he took to Twitter to share a special message for the CSK skipper. He expressed his emotions as it was a dream come true moment for him to bowl against Dhoni in the final over.
Sandeep shared a picture of MSD and congratulated him for completing 200 IPL games. He added that it was an honour to share the field with him and he will be forever grateful for the moment. The bowler also re-tweeted a video of his newborn daughter watching him play on TV.
Congratulations @msdhoni paji for the 200 IPL matches. An honour to share the field and bowl to him. Forever grateful. #dreamcometrue pic.twitter.com/Yz49yG6Ut5
— Sandeep sharma (@sandeep25a) April 12, 2023
— Sandeep sharma (@sandeep25a) April 13, 2023
In the final over, he started off with two wide balls, followed by a yorker to have a dot ball to MS Dhoni. The next two deliveries were low full-tosses and while they were not quite easy to hit, arguably the greatest finisher of all time did not show any mercy and smashed them out of the park. Defending 7 off the last 3 balls, he gave just three singles as the pacer nailed the last two yorkers which were nearly unplayable.
In the game, he ended up with the figures of 30/1 in 3 overs as he dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad for just 8(10).
Batting first, Rajasthan Royals scored 175 after Jos Buttler scored 52 off 36 while Devdutt Paddikal came back in touch and scored 38 off 26. Ravichandran Ashwin and Shemron Hetmayer gave the required finish with 30(22) and 30*(18) respectively. Akash Singh and Tushar Deshpande took two wickets each and Ravindra Jadeja showed his class and ended up with 21/2.
Devon Conway scored a fifty and Ajinkya Rahane continued his form to score 31 off 19. After a middle-order collapse, MS Dhoni and Jadeja looked to provide the finish but fell three runs short. Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal picked two wickets each and were critical in RR’s win.
