Karthik Sharma grabbed attention by doing a ‘gunshot’ celebration like MS Dhoni after his match-winning half-century for Chennai Super Kings against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026.
Chennai Super Kings’ uncapped recruit Karthik Sharma, worth Rs 14.2 crore, finally rewarded his team’s faith by scoring a half-century in the ‘El Clasico’ match against Mumbai Indians.
The hefty price tag weighed heavily on Sharma as his inconsistency caused him to be in and out of the team until promotion from his usual finisher role gave him a chance to showcase his talents.
key points
- Karthik Sharma scored his first IPL 2026 half-century.
- Celebration was done with the signal of ‘gun shot’.
- MS Dhoni had popularized this type of celebration.
CSK stays alive in IPL 2026 after win against MI
With their season having had ups and downs, CSK desperately needed a win against the struggling Mumbai Indians.
MI’s decision to bat first after winning the toss backfired as Anshul Kamboj dismissed Will Jacques in the second over itself. Ryan Rickelton got the start but could not convert it into goals, while Naman Dheer top scored with 57 runs.
Suryakumar Yadav failed to convert his starts while Tilak Verma and Hardik Pandya were having a tough time at the crease. Noor Ahmed and Jamie Overton made breaks with the ball as MI could only manage 159/7.
Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Sanju Samson in the beginning of CSK’s chase, but Urvil Patel’s cameo made the equation easier for CSK. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Karthik Sharma – who were brought in as impact players – scored unbeaten fifties to give CSK their fourth win of the season.
Kartik Sharma celebrates with ‘gun’ gesture
After scoring the winning run, Karthik Sharma celebrated by turning his bat into a gun.
An unconventional finishing touch to a classic rivalry! 🎬
🎥 @ChennaiIPL Complete the double on your arch rivals #mi in style 💛
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/VVAjldiiC0#TATAIPL | #khelbindaas | #CSKvMI | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/yeBWsXZ6Lu
– IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) 2 May 2026
During the post-match presentation, Sharma was asked about the celebrations.
“It was my first innings and my first IPL half-century. I had already planned that if I score today, I will celebrate like this,” he said.
He said, “All I was thinking was that I have to be there till the end and finish the game for the team. Rutu Bhaiya (Ruturaj Gaikwad) told me to play the game I know. Nothing else. Just go out there, play your game and help the team win.”
The ‘gun’ celebration was arguably popularized by former CSK captain MS Dhoni when he scored 183* against Sri Lanka in an ODI in Jaipur in 2005.
Karthik Sharma also talked about Dhoni’s influence on his batting. “Mahi bhaiya (Dhoni) supported me a lot – he used to advise me to just concentrate on the ball and play – look at the timing of the ball rather than trying to hit it hard.”
Karthik’s form in IPL 2026
When CSK bought him for Rs 14.2 crore, Karthik Sharma instantly became a household name. His reputation for hitting sixes almost at will made him the joint highest-paid uncapped player in IPL history.
Unfortunately, that form before this match did not translate into results. Overall, despite this half-century, Karthik has scored only 112 runs in 6 matches at an average of 22 and strike rate of 126.
Although he hit three sixes in the match against MI, his bat did not hit boundaries as expected.
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CSK’s next match
In their next match, CSK will face Delhi Capitals on May 5. DC has been just as inconsistent as CSK in IPL 2026.
Both teams have won 4 in 9 matches, but CSK has a much better net run rate.
questions to ask
- Why did Kartik Sharma celebrate the gunshot?
He said that he had planned to celebrate when he scored a run. - Did MS Dhoni also have a similar celebration?
Yes, Dhoni popularized a similar gesture during his 183* innings against Sri Lanka in 2005. - How was Karthik Sharma’s performance in the match?
He scored an unbeaten half-century and helped CSK win against MI.
