Dinesh Karthik did a Javed Miandad with a last-ball six as India pulled off an incredible chase beating Bangladesh by four wickets in the Nidhas T20 tri-series final here tonight.
Needing five off the final delivery, Karthik smashed Soumya Sarkar over extra-cover as a second-string Indian side held its nerve in a tense situation to chase down a target of 167 in 20 overs.
It would count as one of India’s famous last-ball sixes — something that the Pakistani legend did against India 32 years back in Sharjah.
Karthik’s gem of a cameo got him 29 off 8 balls with two boundaries and three sixes — the last of them which will forever be etched in the memory.
Skipper Rohit Sharma’s (56 off 42 balls) dismissal set India’s inexperienced middle-order in panic mode and Vijay Shankar’s four dot-balls off the 18th over by Mustafizur Rahaman made it very difficult for India.
Karthik came at the start of the19th over and hit Rubel Hossain for 22 including two sixes and two fours to bring down the equation to 12 off the final over before finishing it off in style.
A partisan Sri Lankan crowd, which was upset by Bangladesh’s behaviour, did the now-famous ‘Nagin dance’ (snake dance’) along with Indian supporters, leaving the Tigers distraught.
“Really happy to come out of this performance. We have played really well in this tournament and to not win the final would have been unfortunate. It was not that easy to bat there.
“So I just had to go out there and hit the ball hard. I have been practising keeping a good base and hitting through the line and luckily it came out well,” an elated Karthik said.
“The Indian team is a tough place to get an opportunity, but once you get it, you have to take it. And credit to the backroom staff, they have always supported me and I’m really happy,” he said.
Rohit started off the Indian innings with a lofted boundary over long-on off his opposite number Shakib. Young off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz then got a taste of what world class batsmanship is as he was hit for two huge sixes — over deep mid-wicket and over long-on — along with another four.
Shikhar Dhawan (10) and Suresh Raina (0) were out in quick succession but the Indian captain was in his element and continued merrily to top score with 56.
Earlier, the Indian pacers undid the hardwork of the spinners as Bangladesh scored a competitive 166 for eight, riding on Sabbir’s 50-ball 77 after being put in.
Off-spinner Washington Sundar (one for 20) and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (three for 18) were brilliant in the PowerPlay, but the duo of Vijay Shankar (none for 48) and Shardul Thakur (none for 45) leaked 93 runs between them on a good batting surface.
While the Washington-Chahal duo bowled 20 dot balls between them with only one boundary, Shankar and Thakur conceded 10 boundaries and four sixes.
Jaydev Unadkat (two for 33) did come back well in his final over but Sabbir cleverly waited for the spinners to finish their quota as he launched a furious assault on the pacers during the back-10.
