Lucknow, April 15 (NationPress) The Chennai Super Kings have successfully terminated their five-match losing streak, and as has often been the case, it was captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who, along with Shivam Dube's determined performance, propelled the team to a five-wicket victory, earning him the title of Player of the Match.

Currently, CSK finds itself at the lowest position in the IPL 2025 points table, having secured only their second victory of the tournament. Dhoni expressed that the journey has been challenging and hopes this win will serve as a confidence booster.

“Winning a game feels great. In a tournament like this, securing victories is essential. The previous matches didn’t favor us for various reasons. It's beneficial to have a win under our belt, which instills confidence within the team and allows us to focus on our areas for improvement,” said Dhoni.

“When luck isn't on your side in cricket, God makes it extremely challenging, and indeed it was a tough match. Observing the powerplay, we struggled with both the combination and the conditions while bowling. Additionally, as a batting unit, we failed to achieve the desired start, compounded by the loss of wickets,” Dhoni elaborated during the post-match interview.

While Dhoni's swift 26 runs off 11 balls earned him the POTM accolade, Dube remained composed under pressure. Despite a slow start, he exploded in the 19th over, dismantling Shardul Thakur with a series of strategic hits, including a guided four and a maximum, accumulating 19 runs and leaving just 4 runs required in the final over. Dube finished unbeaten on 43 from 37 balls, sealing the game with a winning four off Avesh Khan.

The left-handed middle-order batsman shared his strategy for the match, emphasizing the importance of patience before shifting gears.

“This victory holds significant value; losing five consecutive games is atypical for CSK. Our bowlers performed admirably, and I aimed to stay until the end. I believed it was crucial to navigate the game carefully after our middle-order wickets fell. It’s not solely about mindset; it’s about adapting to the situation, which is why I opted to take the game deep rather than attacking early,” he explained.

“My approach was straightforward: not to overexert myself since the bowlers were executing their plans effectively. Carrying the positives from this game into the next match is vital,” Dube concluded.