Dinesh Karthik bravado 29 off 8 with last ball six gives India title win over Bangladesh
HERO NIDAHAS TROPHY FINAL
Dinesh Karthik (29, 8b, 2×4, 3×6) rode a trail of bravery bludgeoning 27 off the last two overs to take India to a spectacular last ball win over Bangladesh reaching 168 for 6 off 20 overs in the final to lift the Hero Stadium. Needing 12 off the last over 2 dot balls, a wide, 1, 1, 4 Nidahas Trophy in the triangular tournament on Sunday night at the R. Premadasa a wicket that of Shankar 162 for 6 and 5 more off the final delivery and Karthik smashed the last ball for 6 off Soumya Sarkar. The rich reward was the Man of the Match award.
Indeed Dinesh Karthik rode a trail of bravery smashing 22 off the penultimate over by Rubel Hossain -6, 4,6, 2, 4 to take India to 155 for 5 after the 19th over off Rubel Hossain leaving India 11 off the final over. It was a tremendous final sans the home team Sri Lanka played to a 20,000 strong vociferous crowd of majority Sri Lankans who cheered India on. The non striker was Washington Sundar.
India lost the first wicket at 32 of Shikhar Dhawan for 10 caught by substitute Ariful Haque off Shakib Al Hasan. India suffered a double setback losing pivotal No.3 batsman Suresh Raina for a duck facing three balls with no addition to the total. He was caught by Mushfiqur Rahim off Rubel Hossain. However, Skipper Rohit Sharma raced to 32 off 15 hitting 4 boundaries and a six as India reached 48 for 2 in 5 overs. After six overs the score read 56 for 2 at a run rate of 9.3 an over. Sharma continued to keep the momentum going moving to 44 off 28 striking 4 hits to the fence and 3 sixes taking the total to 71 off 8 overs without further loss. K.L. Rahul was on 17 off 9 with a boundary and six. The pair added 51 for the third wicket before Rahul exited for 24 off 14 (2×4, 1×6) making it 3 for 83 in 9.3 overs. Sharma remained ominous reaching 50 off 35 (4×4, 3×6) and the total was 90 for 3 after 12 overs with India requiring another 77 off 48 balls. Manish Pandey was on 4. India were 96 for 3 after 13. The fourth wicket at 98 in the third ball of the 14th over that of Sharma fell for 56 caught by Mahmudullah off Nazmul Islam in the third ball of the 14th over and India were 98 for 4. The skipper made 56 off 42. After 15 overs India were 115 for 4 with Pandey on 18 and Vijay Shankar on 6. After 16 the total had moved to 123. The next over fetched 9 including a boundary by Shankar off Soumya; 132 for 4. Pandey fell for 28 making it 133 for 5 after 18.
Sabbir Rahman struck 77 off 50 balls inclusive of 7 boundaries and 4 sixes as Banagladsh recovered from a shaky 4 for 68 to total 166 for 8 wickets in 20 overs. He was associated in two fruitful partnerships of 46 for the fifth wicket with M. Mahmudullah (21) and 29 for the sixth wicket with Shakib Al Hasan (7), both run out. India’s fielding was outstanding accounting for the successive run outs.
Having won the toss and opted to bowl, India struck swift blows reducing Bangladesh to 3 wickets for 33 in 5 overs. First to go was Liton Das for 11 top edging to Suresh Raina off Washington Sundar with the total on 27 in 3.2 overs. Tamim Iqbal was dismissed with no addition to the total off Yuzvendra Chahal to a catch to Thakur for 15 in the very next over. After 4.2 overs Bangladesh had lost their way with further dirt rubbed in with the third wicket that of Sabbir Rahman falling at 33 caught Dhawan bowled Chahal for 1 in the last delivery of the fifth over.
India had asserted control of the match winning the first round of the six-overpower play battle. Bangladesh was already decimated with its top three front liners back in the pavilion. Their ploy of attacking had misfired to India’s bait of slowing down the pace of the ball. Bangladesh brought up the 50 in the eighth over with Sabbir Rahman on 24 (3×4, 1×6) and Mushfiqur Rahim on 5. After 10 overs Bangladesh reached 68 for 3. But on the heels of it India struck again sending back Mushfiqur Rahim for 9 off Chahal who had him caught by Shankar; Bangladesh 68 for 4 off 10.1 overs. The right-arm leg spinner had indeed stuck into the opposition with his figures reading 3 for 18 off 4 overs. The fourth wicket pair forged a recovery adding 22 runs in 3 overs taking the total to 90 for 4 after 13. Sabbir Rahman was on 34 off 31 with 3 boundaries and Mahmudullah on 16 off 13 with one boundary. Rahman struck successive boundaries in the next over by Thakur moving to 42 off 34 as the Bangladesh 100 came in 14.1 overs, but disaster struck in the very next ball with Mahmudullah running himself with the total on 105. He made 21 off 16 with 2 boundaries, the partnership realizing 36 runs in 4.1 overs. Sabbir Rahman reached 50 off 37 deliveries with 5 boundaries and a six with Bangladesh 110 for 5 off 15 overs.
Rahman continued to carry the attack to India with a cross batted six off Washington Sundar in the first ball of the 16th over and another six one ball later. He was seventh out clean bowled by Jaydev Unadkat attempting a big shot with the total on 147. Unadkat claimed 2 for 33.
By Srian Obeyesekere
-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-
