MS Dhoni was something like that far short: Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson rewind to the Dhoni run out in ODI world cup semifinal

In a promo for India’s upcoming series in New Zealand, Amazon Prime have released a short video of Martin Guptill, the man who run out MS Dhoni on that fateful day in 2019 ODI world cup semi-final, and thoughts from Kane Williamson.
Kane Williamson starts off trying to remember where he stood for that ball. “I think I might have been at mid-off that is usually where I stand. It was clearly quite a pivotal point in that match.”
He was there allright, standing pretty close, say between mid-off and extra cover. The mind pulls out an image from that moment as for some reason the eye was on New Zealand captain. He would bend down, touch the grass, and rub his hands and await, standing crouched.
It was a pivotal moment as Williamson says, and there is really no need for any context. Just enough to say that Ravindra Jadeja had fallen, and it had all come down to Dhoni.

the run-out that’s etched in the mind of every Indian 💔
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Just one moment can be cued up from the penultimate over from Lockie Ferguson. It was a slower bouncer that stood up outside off and to quote from the report of the day in the newspaper:
‘Oh boy, did Dhoni stir. The feet lifted, the eyebrows squeezed up, and Clint Eastwood of modern-day cricket was in the air as the bat thunderously smashed the white round thing into orbit. That moment, Dhoni in mid-air, should be frozen and put on a poster’.
Then came the run out ball. It was a lifter from back of length that rapped Dhoni’s hands, and even as he jerked them in pain, he realised he had to run hard to attempt the second run as the ball had rolled to backward square-leg.
Cricket – ICC Cricket World Cup Semi Final – India v New Zealand – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – July 10, 2019 India’s MS Dhoni loses his wicket Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
From the report of the day, this captures the significance of the moment: ‘Without him, Jadeja couldn’t have done it. Without Jadeja, Dhoni couldn’t have done it. Together they almost did it but then Jadeja fell. Now, Dhoni had to do the hitting. That wasn’t going to happen. Still, that six off the first ball of the penultimate over raised hopes. Could this be happening? Has the old magic returned? Can he hit a six and twirl the bat over once more like that night at Wankhede? To see its possibility, he had to get back on strike. And off he dashed. Irony tripped him. No Indian has ever run that first run as hard as him. No one has turned around for the second as briskly and purposefully as him. In that, the years have hardly left a scar. In that, it’s still MS Dhoni of the old. And in the end, irony hit – who would have thought it’s that one unchanged trait would nail him? Life.’
The wicketkeeper would try to scramble after the ball and Colin de Grandhomme would run towards striker’s end to collect the throw.
New Zealand’s Martin Guptill celebrates with Lockie Ferguson after taking the wicket of India’s MS Dhoni during 2019 World Cup. Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Martin Guptill says in the promo: Colin de Grandhomme was there but it had to be a direct hit and I think he [Dhoni] was something like that far short so [gestures the short gap left between bat and crease]. if it had been taken he would have been safe so it had to be a direct hit. It was one hell of a game.
“Unbelievable run-out from Martin Guptill for a direct hit from that dance. It clearly was a big wicket which certainly gave us a much better chance to get across the line,” says Williamson.
Concurs Tim Southee. “In that fashion it was pretty special for Guptill to be able to hit the stumps from so far away. Those who have played against MS [Dhoni] know that as long as he is there anything is possible. As long as he was there, India had a chance so it was a massive moment in the game and probably sort of final piece that had to go away, and to get it that way was pretty special.”
MS Dhoni’s left hand was in agony (and it would swell up shortly) and his right was gingerly holding it as he glanced at the big screen to see if perhaps the replays throw up some miracle. Nope. Game over.
And he walked back in pain, from the left hand and from the near-miss. Head was down as he climbed up the stairs to the dressing room where the sea of players parted and clapped. The only appropriate reaction for the moment.