#IPLGOAT Semi-Final: Sunil Narine vs MS Dhoni

05/27/2016

The #IPLGOAT has reached the semi-finals stage. We are just two steps away from crowning the Greatest IPL Player of All Time. In today's clash, Sunil Narine goes up against MS Dhoni in this epic battle to reach the grand finale.

The #IPLGOAT is a knockout competition to determine the greatest IPL player of all time. We have done our homework and have come up with a list of 24 players. It will be a knock-out competition. Each day, you will see head-to-head matchups, with the winner progressing to the next round. The round of 24 will be followed by the Quarter-Finals, then the Semi-Finals, and ultimately the Grand Finale to determine the Greatest IPL player of all time. So what are you waiting for? Cast your vote and make it count.

Beware though, do not get carried away by merely the exploits of the current IPL; remember that you are selecting the Greatest IPL player of All Time! Choose wisely.

Follow us on FB and Twitter to keep track of the GOAT contest! Vote to see your favourite player crowned as the Greatest IPL Player of All Time. #IPLGOAT

After some intense contests and epic battles, we have finally reached the semi-finals of the #IPLGOAT. We are just two steps away from crowning the Greatest IPL Player of All Time. The good players have fallen by the wayside and the great players have been eliminated. Now only the greatest of the great remain to battle it out to become the greatest IPL Player of All Time. In the second semi-final, mystery spinner Sunil Narine, faces off against Captain Cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni.The guile and craft of Sunil Narine have defeated the best of the batsmen. His IPL record is extraordinary and Kolkata Knight Riders have found his services invaluable. MS Dhoni, on the other hand, dons many hats; he is a brilliant wicket-keeper, fearsome hitter, clinical chaser and not least an inspirational Captain. Dhoni over the years had become the very face of Chennai Super Kings and has in fact contributed immensely to IPL's popularity. Both the players had a tough passage to the semi-finals and some epic battles were fought on the way. In the quarter-finals, Sunil Narine scrapped through with the narrowest of the margins past his West Indian compatriot, Kieron Pollard, securing 51% of the vote. Dhoni had an even tougher passage. Dhoni managed to pull off the impossible and defeat Tendulkar in a popular vote only to run up against Tendulkar's heir-apparent, Virat Kohli, in the quarter-finals. As it turned out, Dhoni managed to just about hold off Kohli and reached the semi-finals securing 52% of the vote. Which of these two will progress to the Grand-Finale and stake a claim to be crowned as the Greatest IPL Player of All Time?

1. Sunil Narine

The Stats:

Matches: 62, Wickets: 80, Bowling Average: 18.67, Economy Rate: 6.07

Claim To Greatness:

IPL is a tournament dominated by batsmen. The boundaries are small, the pitches are flat and the bats are broad. One bowler though, who has thoroughly dominated the batsmen is Sunil Narine. He has bamboozled the best of the batsmen, casting a spell and bewitching both the opponents and the fans alike. In a format where an economy rate of 8 is considered impressive, he has an economy rate of 6.07! No other bowler has managed even an economy rate of 6.5. His variety and control has made him almost impossible to negotiate. So complete has been his domination that, he is the bowler with the most 4 wicket hauls, despite playing only 62 matches. His record also boasts of a hat-trick. His best performance came in 2012, when he took 24 wickets at a staggering average of 13.5 and conceded less than run a ball. This stunning performance was one of the main reasons for Kolkata Knight Riders lifting the trophy that season and Sunil Narine was rewarded with the player of the series award, the only time thus far that a bowler has won it.

2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni

The Stats:

Matches: Matches: 141, Runs: 3206, Batting Average: 38.62, Strike Rate: 138.07

Claim to Greatness:

MS Dhoni has played 142 IPL matches. Only his ex-teammate, Suresh Raina, has played more; 143 matches. What is staggering though is that he has led in all of those 142 matches and has kept wickets in almost all of them. If an All-Time IPL XI team is made, MS Dhoni would captain it. He has defined the Chennai Super Kings, one of the most successful IPL teams, and in turn, he is not just adored but has been adopted by the CSK fans. Chennai Super Kings, under MS Dhoni, have won 2 titles and have reached the playoffs in every single season, with a win percentage of above 60, an incredible achievement. MS Dhoni, though, is so much more than just a successful captain. As a batsman alone, he is an IPL legend. 3200 runs at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 138. Impressive figures, but there is more to it. With an ice-cool composure, Dhoni, over the years has engineered some sensational chases; his mere presence at the crease was enough to intimidate the bowlers. In addition to all these, he kept wickets; a true all-rounder indeed.