IPL 2016, RPSvsKXIP: MS Dhoni fires, Supergiants win

Visakhapatnam: Rising Pune Supergiants skipper MS Dhoni played a thunderous knock of 64 runs to outshine Kings XI Punjab in their final match of IPL 2016 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, here on Saturday.

RPS skipper yet again finished the things off by hitting a huge six with his trademark helicopter shot.

Dhoni’s spectacular performance came late in the tournament as doors for the play-offs had already been closed for Pune.

Chasing the total of 173-runs, top batting line-up of the Dhoni brigade - Ajinkya Rahane (19), Usman Khawaja (30), George Bailey (9) and Saurabh Tiwary (17), collapsed making things difficult for the finishers.

Thisara Perera scored quick fire 23 runs off just 14 deliveries with 2 fours and a six.

The charm was Dhoni’s explosive innings of 64 runs which came off just 32 balls with 4 boundaries and 5 humongous sixes.

Earlier, KXIP skipper Murali Vijay (59 runs) and Gurkeerat Singh Mann (51) played some fine knocks, which helped the side proving a good total for the chase.

RPS spinner R.Ashwin bagged 4 important wickets in his 4 overs spell.

Brief Scores-

Kings XI Punjab- 172/7 in 20 overs (Vijay 59, Gurkeerat 51; Ashwin 4-34)

Rising Pune Supergiants- 173/6 in 20 overs (MS Dhoni 64; Gurkeerat 2-15)