MS Dhoni returned to form in the Indian Premier League with a magnificent half-century against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first match of the 2022 season. In a rematch of last year’s final, the Chennai-based franchise took on the Kolkata-based franchise at the Wankhede Stadium. Dhoni has broken a record of AB de Villiers in the first game.
The Super Kings were down to 61/5 when Dhoni came out to bat with Ravindra Jadeja standing in the middle. Although Dhoni has not played any matches since the previous edition of the Indian Premier League, he played a fantastic knock of 50 runs to save CSK from an embarrassing total in the first match.
Speaking of the innings first, Umesh Yadav got the Kolkata Knight Riders off to a solid start as he dismissed the duo of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway in the initial overs. Talking to the host broadcaster after the first innings, Yadav said:
“I think it’s quite a fresh wicket. It’s the first match so it’s gripping a touch. There’s good bounce and it helped the fast-bowlers and the spinners. Always nice when you do something good for the team and I picked up wickets in the Powerplay so I’m very happy.”
MS Dhoni has scored more fifties than AB de Villiers in the middle-order positions now
Most 50+ Scores in IPL
(While batting at Middle Order)23 times – MS Dhoni*
22 times – AB Devilliers
21 times : Rohit Sharma#CSKvsKKR— ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐ (@Shebas_10dulkar) March 26, 2022
MS Dhoni raised his bat after scoring his maiden half-century of the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. It was the 23rd time in the IPL that Dhoni scored a fifty while batting in the middle-order for his team.
Before this season, Dhoni jointly held the number one position on this list with former Royal Challengers Bangalore wicket-keeper batter AB de Villiers who scored 22 half-centuries in the middle-order. Since de Villiers has retired now and Rohit Sharma plays as an opener, it is unlikely that Dhoni’s record will be broken.
