IPL 2018: Final, Player Battles – MS Dhoni vs Rashid Khan

The teams that finished at the top two positions in the league stage, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad will face off in the finale of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The MS Dhoni-led CSK edged out in the thriller against SRH in Mumbai to make it to the finals.

The Sunrisers managed their first win in five matches on Friday at the Eden Gardens where they defeated the home side to qualify for the finals. The best sides of the tournament will face off for the 4th time this year with the Super Kings winning on all three occasions.

The Sunrisers’ bowling attack is known for breaking the back of whatever the team they faced in this season with CSK coming as an exception. The Chennai Super Kings’ batting dismantled the SRH bowlers twice in two matches, especially in the middle-overs. However, the Hyderabad bowlers made a comeback in the first qualifier but failed to close the game. The Rashid Khan led bowling attack will once again be the major threat to the favourites CSK who rely on their batting depth.

CSK have been blessed by a variety of performers with the bat this season. The most pleasing factor has been MS Dhoni’s form. The former Indian skipper has exceeded expectations after a mediocre last one year as a finisher at International level. Dhoni scored 455 run at an average of 75.83 with the help of three fifties. He got out three times for single digit this season including twice at the Wankhede. He was trapped by Mayank Markande for five runs in the season opener while Rashid Khan cleaned up the CSK skipper cheaply in their previous game.

MS Dhoni vs Rashid Khan:

The battle could once again be between Dhoni and Rashid Khan who haven’t faced off a lot yet. The leg-spinner from Afghanistan has conceded 14 runs in the 21 balls he has bowled to Dhoni in the IPL thus far. The dismissal in Mumbai was the only time the keeper-batsman fell to Rashid. Dhoni has managed to hit only one boundary in those 21 balls and has a strike-rate of 66.67.

(Stats as on May 26, 2018)