NEW DELHI: South Africa and Chennai Super Kings batsman Faf du Plessis revealed that MS Dhoni's 84-run unbeaten knock against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the last edition and Suresh Raina's century against Kings XI Punjab in 2013 are his all-time favourite memory of the popular T20 tournament.
Plessis shared his favourite memory as he was nominated by teammate Suresh Raina to do so under the hashtag #MyIPLmoment.
"I have been very fortunate to be part of the team for almost 10 years now. I have some incredible memories of us winning two IPLs, two or three Champions League and some incredible games. I'm trying to remember some brilliant individual innings and my memory is not great so it might be a little bit off here and there but bear with me," Plessis said in a video posted on CSK's official Twitter handle.
Dhoni scored 84* off 48 balls studded with seven sixes and five fours. Chasing a target of 162, CSK had a very penurious start as they lost wickets of Shane Watson and Raina in the very first over bowled by Dale Steyn.
After six overs, CSK was at 32 runs for the loss of four wickets. Skipper Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu then formed a crucial 55 run partnership. Rayudu scored 29 runs in as many deliveries.
Dwayne Bravo joined Dhoni and stitched a 25-run partnership. Dhoni played a knock of 84 runs but was unable to finish the match for his side as they fell one run short from clinching victory.
"There have been a lot of them but I will mention that is fresh in my memory. Last year against RCB. I think we were 60-6 or 7 and basically we should be bowled out for 90. He was in at the moment and absorbed pressure very well. Then he started hitting more and more sixes. The sixes he was hitting was out of the stadium. He ended up getting 87 off 40-odd balls (sic). I think it was 26 required off the last over and after the game, we were like what just happened," Plessis said.
Plessis further termed Dhoni as the best finisher of the game and said: "And lastly MS Dhoni has been, obviously, part of the team since the beginning but I see him as the best finisher in the game. Through have been on the field and side of the field for so many years just see him construct innings together and how he has finished games."
Raina scored an unbeaten hundred off 53 balls including six sixes and seven fours. His knock enabled CSK to post 186/4 at Chepauk stadium in Chennai. The team won the match 15 runs and Raina was awarded Player of the Match.
The South African also lauded all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Shane Watson for their respective knocks.
"In 2013, Suresh Raina scored a hundred against Kings XI Punjab that won us a game on his own. That was a fantastic inning. Fast forward to 2018, Dwayne Bravo against Mumbai Indians. We were completely out of the game, he came in it 7-8 and 67 or 70 off 40-odd balls. That was basically hitting just sixes. How we won that game I still don't know it," Plessis said.
"There was a Shane Watson played a knock in 2018 final when he got a hundred and won on its own. He did it again in 2019, scored another IPL hundred and we fell just two-run short. He has been great from the last couple of years," he added.
The right-handed Proteas batsman further nominated former CSK player Mike Hussey to share his favourite IPL memory.
The BCCI on Wednesday confirmed that the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 has been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.