On Sunday, Punjab Kings’ fast bowler Harshal Patel achieved something no other bowler had in the IPL 2024 season with MS Dhoni’s fans sending diatribe his way on Instagram
For the unfamiliar, Punjab Kings pacer Harshal Patel dashed the hopes of fans wanting to see MS Dhoni play in Dharamsala, as he dismissed the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain with a golden duck on Sunday, May 5.
MS Dhoni fans abuse Harshal Patel on Instagram after he dismisses CSK player vs Punjab in IPL 2024 match
Patel became the First Bowler to Dismiss Dhoni in 2024 Season
During the match against Chennai Super Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, Harshal became the first bowler to dismiss MS Dhoni this season.
His weapon of choice. A perfect slower yorker that sent the former CSK captain back to the pavilion with a golden duck.
Harshal Patel Instagram comment section pic.twitter.com/q2XRYnER9k
— Backfoot_Punch (@kookaburra_221) May 5, 2024
Dhoni delayed his entrance, batting at number 9 for the first time in his T20 career, as Mitchell Santner and Shardul Thakur were sent in ahead of him.
Harshal, already in rhythm after dismissing Thakur with a deceptive slower yorker, repeated the delivery to get rid of Dhoni.
MS Dhoni fans in Harshal Patel's Instagram comment section after Harshal made him go on a Golden Duck 🦆
Thala fans are the most toxic 💔#PBKSvCSK pic.twitter.com/2G6JmGk5O3
— Ayush (@yush_18) May 5, 2024
What Exactly Happened?
Dhoni was a bit early on his shot, allowing the ball to slip under his bat and hit the off-stump, giving Harshal Patel the distinction of being the first bowler to dismiss the CSK legend in IPL 2024.
This was Dhoni’s 9th innings in the tournament, and after going unbeaten in his first seven, he’s been dismissed twice against Punjab Kings.
His scores this season were 37 (16), 1 (2), 1 (3), 20 (4), 28 (9), 4 (1), 5 (2), and a run-out for 14 (11) in the first match against Punjab Kings at Chepauk, marking his first dismissal of the season.
Fans at the stadium and those following online were stunned to see Dhoni fall without scoring, marking only the fourth golden duck of his IPL career.
Harshal’s wicket took him to 17 for the season, tying with Jasprit Bumrah, although Bumrah’s economy rate remains superior to the PBKS pacer’s.
Despite the significant dismissal, Harshal’s celebration was notably subdued. He merely raised his arms as his teammates celebrated the wicket, and the PBKS players eventually restricted CSK to 167 for nine.
Regarding the match, Harshal and Rahul Chahar excelled with the ball, each taking 3 wickets, helping Punjab Kings limit CSK to 167.
Ravindra Jadeja’s 43 off 26 balls provided some hope for CSK, but frequent wickets hindered their progress on a pitch favoring slower bowlers and pacers using variations.
What Did Harshal Patel Say?
“I have too much respect for him to celebrate when I get him out,” Harshal explained during a mid-innings interview, justifying his calm reaction to the key wicket.
Harshal’s performance was one of the highlights of the Punjab Kings’ bowling attack, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 24.
Reflecting on his success with the slower delivery, Harshal mentioned the benefits of playing a day game, noting that the rough pitch conditions contributed to the ball reversing.
“It’s all about the feel of that delivery,” he said. “The more you practice, the better it gets, and most batters can’t pick it.”
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