MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni (Credits: Twitter)

MS Dhoni’s sudden decision to retire from international cricket has surprised many. While his future with Team India was a major talking point in the last one year or so, not many were expecting him to hang his boots at present. There was a popular perception that MS Dhoni would use the upcoming IPL as the platform to launch his comeback into the Indian team and play in next year’s T20 World Cup.

But to everyone’s utter surprise, the World Cup-winning captain brought down curtains on his illustrious career on Saturday (August 15). MS Dhoni will be seen in action next month when he plays for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. The veteran has not played a competitive game since last year’s World Cup ended in July.

And amidst all these, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has opined that the Prime Minister of India might request MS Dhoni to play the next T20 World Cup. He added that it would be great to see the former Indian skipper in action, considering that the World Cup will be played in India.

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“I think he could have played T20 cricket, he could have gone on to play the T20 World Cup. And the way India supports its stars, the way they love them and recognises them, they would have played him in T20s. But it was his personal choice,” he said during an interaction on the YouTube channel ‘BolWasim’ as quoted by Sportskeeda. 

MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni [Photo-Twitter]
The Pakistan great further observed that MS Dhoni has already achieved a lot in his cricketing career and that India would always hold him in high regard.

“But again he has won everything, a person from Ranchi has rocked the whole of India, what else do you need. At the end of the day, the world should remember you. And a nation like India, they will never let you get forgotten,” he added.

Farewell for MS Dhoni:

There has been talk all around about a farewell game for the India legend. Speaking about that, Akhtar said that the entire country would be extremely keen on giving the wicketkeeper-batsman a grand farewell subject to the 39-year-old willing to be a part of it.

“India will be geared up to give him a farewell game, trust me. If he doesn’t want, it is a different thing but India will be ready. The whole stadium will be booked for him to play a couple of T20 matches and then go after that,” he said.

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He then went on to say that there is a possibility of the Indian Prime Minister requesting MS Dhoni to reconsider his decision and play the T20 World Cup in India next year, just like Pakistan General Zia-ul-Haq had asked Imran Khan to prolong his career and play the 1992 World Cup.

“You never know, the Prime Minister may call him and request him to play the T20 World Cup. That is also possible. Imran Khan was asked by General Zia-ul-Haq not to leave cricket after 1987 and he played. You cannot say no to the Prime Minister,” said Akhtar.

“Definitely, the World Cup is in India and they should request him to play his last World Cup. The country loves him so much. I think it is the best for him. I think the Prime Minister of India should request him and tell him to leave after winning India his last World Cup,” he added.

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