‘Mahi bhai told me to stay clear in my mind’: Urvil credits Dhoni’s advice after record fifty

Urvil brought up a special celebration on reaching the feat as he took out a note from his pocket that read ‘This is for you Papa".

New Delhi: Urvil Patel credited a crucial conversation with former Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni for helping him produce his stunning record-equalling 13-ball half-century for his side against Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026.

The explosive right-hander lit up the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday with a breathtaking 65 off just 23 deliveries, smashing eight sixes and matching the fastest fifty in IPL history.

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Urvil also became the first batter in the tournament’s history to hit six sixes within the first eight balls of an innings as CSK stormed to a massive powerplay total during their chase.

After struggling to convert starts in his previous outings, Urvil revealed that a dressing-room interaction with Dhoni, who has been sidelined with a calf injury since the start of the season, helped him regain clarity and confidence in his game. “When I spoke to Mahi bhai when I got out early in a couple of matches, we were sitting together in the dressing room and I asked him ‘I’m getting out early, what should I do to convert the good start? He said just one thing, ‘I don’t have any doubt in your skill, whatever doubt is there it is in your mind so just stay clear and try to hit the right ball at the right place,’” Urvil said in a video shared by IPL.

The youngster said Dhoni’s reassurance removed self-doubt and allowed him to trust his natural attacking instincts. “First and foremost, I will thank him for the wisdom he shared. I felt good and it was a good performance and I think he will be very happy,” he added. Urvil admitted the innings carried deep personal significance as it marked his maiden IPL fifty, achieved in historic fashion. “I was waiting for my first 50 in the IPL. And I was emotional because I scored 50 of just 13 balls. I was very emotional, especially for my father. I dedicated the 50 to him,” he said.

The Mehsana-born explained that despite getting out after promising starts in earlier games, his father constantly encouraged him to continue playing fearlessly. “When I was playing for 2-3 matches, I was giving a good start and getting out. Only my father was like, ‘Son, I like the way you are playing. Just keep playing like this. Whether you make runs or not, it doesn’t matter to me. Just play like this.’ I have always played for my father. He was telling me to play without any worries. He said, ‘We don’t want anything from you, we’re happy,'” he added.

Urvil brought up a special celebration on reaching the feat as he took out a note from his pocket that read ‘This is for you Papa… It all happened because of the blessings of Jogani Chehar Maa and Goga Sikoter Maa.’ The top-order batter opened up on the message written on the note he displayed after reaching the landmark. “The note firstly read ‘Dad this is for you’ and then my god. I wrote a Thank You to my god that I am doing this because of your blessings. That was it.” He further revealed that CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad had helped him quickly assess the batting conditions before the assault began. “When I achieved the feat, Rutu (Gaikwad) told me that the wicket is good and the ball is coming well, it’s just a little low bounce. Then I saw a ball, and when I hit the first six, I was sure that the wicket was very good. It is coming from a good place and if I get it in my range I will try to hit it 100%. That helps me a lot.”

The youngster said his approach was built around fearless preparation and clarity in execution rather than chasing records. “If you look at it, in batting, I have practised fearlessly. I have done a lot of work on six hitting and I am clear in my mind that I will hit the first and second ball that I get. That is how I think.” Though he was aware of the record for the fastest IPL fifty, Urvil insisted his focus remained on registering his first major score in the tournament. “I had in my mind that KL Rahul bhai has hit the fastest 50 in 12 balls (14 balls) but all I wanted was to hit my first ever 50 in the IPL and I was not thinking about being the fastest to it. That is why I tried to take a single a couple of times,” he said.