Field Setting For The Kierol Pollard in The IPL final:-
In the all-important IPL final in 2010 between the Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians, Chennai scored 168 after opting to bat first. Mumbai skipper Sachin Tendulkar was batting well, and the firepower in their batting line-up was well-known.
When Pollard came out to bat, Mumbai needed 55 off the last three overs. Dhoni knew it well that he liked to hit the ball straight. He kept a particular field for the West Indian all-rounder which had a straight mid-off and straight long-off.
Pollard started his blitzkrieg but couldn’t continue as he holed out to Matthew Hayden at straight mid-off. It was a brilliant tactical move that paid off.
Giving Spinners The last two Overs in The 2013 Champions Trophy Final:-
In a rain-curtailed ICC Champions Trophy final in 2013, India was able to put up only 130 runs on the board in a 20-over game. MS Dhoni’s men needed a near-miracle to take the trophy home.
The bowlers started well, but it was the introduction of spinners that turned the game on its head. The pitch was dry, and the ball was gripping and turning. However, the partnership between Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara brought England back into the game, and they found themselves needing 20 off the last 16 balls.
However, it was Dhoni’s masterstroke that won the game for India. He reserved the spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for the last two overs, and that proved to be significant in the context of the game.
Giving Jogendra Sharma the Last Over In The T20 World Cup final:-
With Pakistan needing 13 runs off the last over, in the high-voltage final of the T20 World Cup 2007, Indian skipper MS Dhoni had two options. The experienced Harbhajan Singh had an over left, and so did Joginder Sharma.
It was a toss-up between the two. But Harbhajan in his previous over was carted for runs by Misbah-ul-Haq, and he was all over the place in that over. So Dhoni opted for Joginder Sharma who was relatively unknown in the international circuit.
The risk paid off as Joginder got Misbah out courtesy of a catch by Sreesanth. Misbah mistimed a scoop shot and Sreesanth, standing at short fine leg, gleefully took the catch as India won the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup.
Playing Out The Malinga Over Against Shri Lanka in 2013:-
One such occasion was in a Tri-Nation Series final against Sri Lanka in 2013.
Then calamity struck as India lost wickets in quick succession, and at one stage they were reeling at 157 for 7. The man at the other end, unperturbed by the sudden calamity, was batting like he usually does. He was trying his best to shield the tail-enders from the best bowlers. However India lost two more wickets, and last man Ishant Sharma came out to bat. Dhoni knew that if Malinga gets a crack at Ishant, then India would surely lose the game. So he tactically played the patient game as he played out an over from Malinga without taking any unnecessary risk whatsoever.
Ishant had to face the less venomous deliveries of Angelo Mathews, and he did that successfully as India required 15 off last over. Dhoni had his calculations well in place as Sri Lanka had to bowl their inexperienced bowler Shaminga Eranda for the last over. Dhoni hit Eranga for two sixes and a four as India scripted a memorable win.
Meezan 
Anamika 
Harsh