Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni is IPL's 'unbeaten' hero
Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has played over a 100 IPL games and is among the tournament's top-10 batsmen.
On Sunday, Chennai Super Kings beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in a last-over finish in Sharjah to maintain their 100 per cent record against Shikhar Dhawan's team. CSK have never lost to Sunrisers in three IPL matches and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team has won four games in succession in the current edition of the Indian Premier League. (Match report | Scorecard | Highlights)
CSK have become synonymous with Dhoni for both good and bad reasons. The Indian captain has been the longest-serving captain in IPL, having led CSK from the tournament's inception. No wonder that Dhoni has achieved several personal milestones. Dhoni was unbeaten on 13 when he struck the winning boundary against Sunrisers on Sunday. This was the 27th time he has remained undefeated, a record. Dhoni's tally of 2333 (ave.37.62) in 101 matches is the eighth highest in IPL history. (Also read: Dhoni says losing toss vs Hyderabad was a blessing)
Under Dhoni, CSK also have a high winning percentage. Chennai have won 62 and lost 38 out of 101 played in the IPL (NR 1) -- winning percentage of 62.00. CSK have won the IPL twice and this year, they are level with table-toppers Kings XI Punjab on eight points each. CSK have played five games as against Punjab's four.
The Sunrisers versus Chennai match also saw some other statistical highlights. Here's a quick look:
* CSK's Dwayne Smith (66 off 46 balls) recorded his 25th innings of 50 or more in Twenty20 - a hundred and 24 fifties. The West Indian is the 13th batsman to manage 4,000 runs in Twenty20 -- 4019 (ave.25.76) in 180 matches. He has a strike rate of 130.44.
* Smith, with 240 runs at an average of 48.00 in five matches, is the top run-scorer for Chennai in the present competition. Only Glenn Maxwell has scored more runs than him - 294 (ave.73.50) in four matches for Kings XI Punjab. On Sunday, Smith got his 16th Man of the Match award in Twenty20.
* Shikhar Dhawan has managed just 79 runs at an average of 19.75 in four matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Only two batsmen have amassed more runs than Dhawan for Sunrisers in the present competition -- Aaron Finch (153) and David Warner (98). Finch is the only batsman to have averaged 50-plus for the Sunrisers in the present competition -- 153 (ave.51.00) in four matches. Warner, on Sunday, recorded his sixth duck at the IPL.
* For Chennai, Australian pacer Benjamin William Hilfenhaus (2/32) recorded his best bowling performance in the present competition.
(With inputs from Rajesh Kumar)