In a match that carried the weight of history and hope, MS Dhoni walked out to bat with thousands of fans on the edge of their seats—and his parents watching from the stands. But even the emotional lift of Dhoni's presence couldn't turn the tide for Chennai Super Kings, who found themselves staring down the barrel against a confident Delhi Capitals side.

Batting first, DC posted a solid 183/6, thanks largely to a classy 77 from KL Rahul, who mixed grace with power in his 51-ball innings. Young Tristan Stubbs added a fiery 24 off 12 balls to give DC late momentum, though Matheesha Pathirana’s sharp death bowling helped CSK avoid a bigger target.

Chennai’s chase never really took off. Early blows by Khaleel Ahmed and disciplined spells from DC’s spinners left CSK reeling at 46/3 in the powerplay. Despite a gritty 68 from Vijay Shankar, the required rate kept climbing. When Vipraj Nigam picked up two key wickets, CSK’s chances looked slimmer by the minute.

No one can match the aura of this entry scene 💛#Dhoni #CSKvsDC pic.twitter.com/2KdCrx358e

— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) April 5, 2025

Though not the finisher he once was, Dhoni still brings an aura, and his calm 25 off 24 showed flickers of that vintage spark. As chants of “Thala” echoed around the stadium, the scoreboard kept reminding fans that this might not be CSK’s night.

With losses piling up, CSK’s campaign is now hanging by a thread. For Dhoni and his loyal fanbase, this season could be an emotional farewell—one filled with grit, pressure, and maybe, a few last flashes of magic.