In a match that reignited the magic of ‘Thala’, MS Dhoni delivered a vintage performance that ended Chennai Super Kings’ five-match losing streak in IPL 2025. Playing at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, the 43-year-old stayed unbeaten with a blazing 26 off just 11 balls, hitting four boundaries and a massive six. His late flourish powered CSK to a crucial five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants.

Dhoni’s knock not only stole the spotlight but also sparked a wave of nostalgia on social media, with fans calling it a true “Dhoni moment.” With this performance, he became the oldest player in IPL history to win the Player of the Match award—proving once again why he remains one of the finest finishers the game has ever seen. The IPL legend reminded everyone that he still has plenty to offer this season.

Soon after the match got over, various users took to their social media handles to write, ‘Reignited The Thala magic’, admiration for Dhoni’s heroics. Supporters called him the ultimate finisher, with quotes like ‘Finish nahi Finisher hai’ trending online. Various users took their social media handles with flooded memes and tributes for ‘Thala’, saluting his match winnings performance to break CSK’s losing streak.

Apart from his batting, Thala’s cleverness was on display. His sharp cricketing mind was active when he called DRS to dismiss Nicolas Pooran. This move won the hearts of fans once again, who fondly referred to it as the comeback of the “Dhoni Review System”.

Since the beginning of the IPL 2025, CSK has faced challenges in winning the match, but Dhoni’s outstanding performance in yesterday’s match proved that CSK still has some life left in this remaining season.

ALSO READ

Here’s how fans reacted on Dhoni’s masterstroke performance: 

Fans and cricket enthusiasts turned to X (formerly Twitter) to express their awe and admiration for Dhoni’s match-winning knock. One user @Cricadd247 wrote, “MS Dhoni at the age of 44 still finishing the matches for CSK #LSGvsCSK.” Another X user @MovieBreaking2 said, “Ms Dhoni Is only Batsman in The CSK Who Plays T20 knock Baki sab Bevkoof hai #msdhoni #csk #IPL2025.”