The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017 quarter-final between Jharkhand and Vidarbha was all about one man. Rarely has a domestic match at a relatively unknown venue grabbed such a massive attendance, but when the former Indian captain MS Dhoni takes center stage its on the other side of the coin.

With Vidarbha managing to score only 159, the crowd at the Air Force Sports Complex in Palam waited for their superstar to come out to bat. MS Dhoni played an unbeaten 18-run inning, which was interrupted by fans, one of them who also got beaten up by the police.

Many fans were sitting close to the boundary ropes while others were trying to catch a glimpse of the action from the wall adjacent to the boundary on the main road. And as was expected, one of Dhoni’s many fans, who came to Delhi from Chennai to watch Dhoni bat, jumped over the wall from outside the ground to rush to MSD while he was at the crease.

Right after Dhoni hit the winning six and secured a semis berth for his side, Akash jumped the boundary wall and ran like there was no tomorrow. A herculean task for three enthusiasts, screaming their lungs out from the ground’s boundary wall, to make Dhoni turn sideways and take note.

“We are here to meet Dhoni,” says Aakash, one of the brothers. “All three have traveled for more than 2,500 km and have been in Delhi since the last four days just to meet Dhoni bhaiya. He (pointing at one of his brothers) even took leave from his job just to meet our idol, our hero,” he adds.

“We are from Chennai,” reads one of their placards and it’s kept close to another one which says, “Want to meet u MS Dhoni.”

After unsuccessful attempts to meet their hero in the last one year, the trio is determined to make things happen this time around and certainly went the distance to do the same.

“’I have come from 3,000 km away’, I told Dhoni bhaiya and touched his feet” he reveals. “Dhoni bhaiya said ‘3,000 kms. Really.’ I just took his blessings and not the autograph as the policemen grabbed me. My motive was served as I desperately wanted to share our feelings with Dhoni bhaiya,” says Akash after he was released by the policemen.

“Dhoni bhaiya will be back to Chennai (Super Kings) next year. We will continue to try and meet him,” he concluded.