PBKS vs CSK: Jitesh Sharma targeted by fans on social media for dismissing MS Dhoni

Punjab Kings (PBKS) wicketkeeper batter Jitesh Sharma faced significant online abuse following the match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. MS Dhoni fans posted abusive comments towards Jitesh Sharma on his social media account, Instagram.

The Punjab Kings secured a seven-wicket victory against the Chennai Super Kings at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, May 1. Jitesh Sharma did not get a chance to bat in Punjab's fourth victory of the season. However, Jitesh was responsible for running out Dhoni during CSK's batting.

Jitesh Sharma Targeted By MS Dhoni Fans On Social Media

MS Dhoni's remarkable streak of not losing his wicket in the ongoing IPL 2024 was broken during the final ball of the innings. Dhoni attempted a risky second run after the ball went towards short third man. Harshal Patel initially misfielded but recovered quickly and threw the ball towards the batter's end.

The Chennai wicketkeeper-batter failed to cross the line before Jitesh Sharma whipped off the bails. The former CSK skipper was dismissed after scoring 14 runs off 11 balls, including one boundary and one six. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team managed to score a below-par total of 162 runs in 20 overs.

Dhoni's run-out during the match stirred disappointment among his loyal fans. Some expressed frustration, while others trolled Jitesh Sharma for his role in the dismissal. The backlash reflected the disappointment of fans witnessing Dhoni being dismissed for the first time in the tournament.

“It's good that you didn't get selected in the World Cup, you made Thala run out, what difference does one run make?” a user wrote on Instagram.

“You should've understood, buddy, people watch matches for him. How bad we must be feeling, you got him run out, and moreover, his leg is injured. Didn't expect this from you, buddy,” another user remarked.

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A post shared by Jitesh Sharma (@jiteshsharma_)

The Sam Curran-led team successfully chased down the target of 163 runs in 17.5 overs with seven wickets in hand. Jonny Bairstow scored 46 off 30 balls, and Rilee Rossouw added 43 off 23 balls. This win guided PBKS to seventh place in the points table with eight points, while CSK remained in fourth place with 10 points.

We Need To Win All Out Games - Sam Curran

PBKS stand-in skipper Sam Curran expressed his delight over the win in away games like in Chennai. He emphasized that the team wants to secure victories in all remaining matches to secure a playoff berth in the IPL 2024.

"Very happy. Everytime you come to Chennai and take two wins, always a special feeling. Same as last year, we lost a lot of our home games and won away, finding a similar pattern. We are in a position where we need to win all our games, we come up against the same opposition in a few days. I think when you come to Chennai, you know how hot it is and dew is going to settle in. Today we wanted to try something different by trying Rabada in the powerplay. We wanted to use our spinners later on, so took a punt on trying KG within the powerplay," Curran said after the match.

Also read: PBKS vs CSK: "MS Dhoni should be in the Indian team now..." - Ruturaj Gaikwad