Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar recently shared his insights on a controversial incident that occurred during the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Gujarat Titans.
The game, which was the Qualifier 1 of the 2023 edition, saw CSK securing their place in the finals by defeating the defending champions.
In the match, CSK successfully defended a target of 173 runs, bowling out the Titans for 157 in exactly 20 overs.
However, the final overs of the Titans’ run-chase were marred by controversy involving CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and their young Sri Lankan bowler, Matheesha Pathirana.
During the game, Dhoni faced criticism for wasting time. Surprisingly, Dhoni seemed content to wait until Pathirana became eligible to bowl.
When asked about the incident, Manjrekar shared his perspective, calling Dhoni’s decision “desperation.” He pointed out that it was unclear what exactly transpired during the nine-minute period when Pathirana was away, and whether that time was counted in the calculations.
Manjrekar speculated that Dhoni may have believed it would work in his favor.
Despite the controversy, CSK’s decision did not negatively impact them. Pathirana conceded 13 runs in the over, but CSK successfully denied the Titans a chance to reach the target.
In the following over, Tushar Deshpande dismissed Vijay Shankar, further diminishing the Titans’ chances of victory.
As the game approached its final over, the Titans still required 27 runs to win, with Rashid Khan already dismissed in the previous over. The incident has sparked debates among fans, with some questioning the umpires’ handling of the situation and others pondering Dhoni’s tactical decision-making.