'Greatest ever': Cricket world erupts over MS Dhoni 'masterclass'

If there were ever any doubts about Mahendra Singh Dhoni being the greatest finisher in the history of limited overs cricket, the veteran batter put them to bed in another Indian Premier League masterclass.

Dhoni conjured up his old magic, hitting 16 runs off the last four balls to steer Chennai Super Kings to a last-ball, three-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

HOW GOOD: David Warner makes history with rare feat in IPL

GOOD NEWS: Family's heartwarming update about Ryan Campbell

'WHAT IS HAPPENING': Fans turn on Virat Kohli after 'horrible' moment

The 40-year-old legend took the game deep into the final over on Thursday before smashing left-arm fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat for 6-4-2-4 to carry Chennai to 7-156 with his unbeaten match-winning knock of 28 off 13 balls.

Time and time again, Dhoni has proven the hero for his IPL side as well as the Indian national team in both T20 cricket and one-day internationals.

Even in the twilight of his career, the 40-year-old proved there are few better players - if any in world cricket - at getting his side home at the death.

Dhoni's incredible match-clinching heroics sent the cricket world into a frenzy on social media.

Even a splendid effort from Australian paceman Daniel Sams, who took 4-30 while running through Chennai's top order, couldn't stop Mumbai suffering a seventh straight loss which has all but ended the powerhouse team's hopes of reaching the playoffs.

A frustrated Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma ended up pulling his cap over his face when Dhoni raised the victory with a flicked boundary to fine leg off Unadkat's well-directed yorker.

Chennai win despite several botched chances

Mumbai's top-order batting issues continued and despite Chennai dropping four catches and Dhoni missing out on a stumping chance, they still managed to restrict Rohit's team to 7-155.

"Actually we were very tense, the way the game was going," said Chennai skipper Ravindra Jadeja, who dropped two of four catches.

"But he (Dhoni) showed the world that he's still here and he can finish the game.

Fast bowler Mukesh Chaudhry (3-19) blew away Mumbai's top-order by claiming the wickets of Rohit and Ishan Kishan in space of only five balls into the match.

Rohit became the first batter in IPL history to get out for a duck for the 14th time when he offered a tame catch to mid-off and Kishan was clean bowled off a perfect yorker off the first ball he faced.

Mumbai could have lost two more wickets to left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner in the second over, but Jadeja dropped a skier of Dewald Brevis and Dhoni missed out on a stumping of Suryakumar Yadav.

Dwayne Bravo then dropped a chest high catch in the slip of top-scorer Tilak Varma (51 not out) in Chaudhry's second over while young Hrithik Shokeen made run-a-ball 25 to steady Mumbai's innings.

But Dhoni made amends in Chaudhry's second over when he had Brevis caught behind as Mumbai slipped to 3-23 in three overs.

Although Mumbai lost Kieron Pollard for 14, Unadkat played a little cameo of 19 off nine balls and lifted Mumbai's total in the death overs.

As well as Sams' excellent bowling, his Australian teammate Riley Meredith also performed well for Mumbai, keeping things tight with 1-25 off his four overs.

But as a close finish approached when Chennai batted, Dhoni kept his usual calm to carry them to only their second win in seven games.

with agencies

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.