Mahendra Singh Dhoni silenced his critics with his bat after showing the sharpness of his bat during the second T20 International against South Africa in Centurion. He hammered the Proteas bowling line-up give India a defendable total on the board.

He came striding out to bat after the dismissal of his fellow Chennai Super Kings player Suresh Raina, fell to Andile Phehlukwayo for 30. Dhoni started his innings with some nudges here and there but unleashed himself after getting his eyes in.

With every passing delivery, he was showing his different shades. First, he hit JJ Smuts downtown over the sightscreen and then in the last over of the innings, where he stole 19 runs from Dane Paterson.

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The last over featured a Dhoni special six, which was just a back foot punch and it soared over the cover region boundary for a maximum. Afterwards, Indian stumper scored two boundaries as well and raced India’s total from 170 to 188 at the end. Meanwhile, he completed his second T20I fifty off just 26 balls.

Also Read: Watch - Dhoni broke shackles with this shot

Manish Pandey was the other star performer from Indian essay with his 79 not out in just 48 balls.

South Africa will have to need 189 runs in order to stay alive in this three-match T20I series.