Karthik heroics help India beat Bangladesh to win Nidahas Trophy

NEW DELHI: Dinesh Karthik smacked a six off the last ball to help India register a thrilling four-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the final of the Nidahas Trophy T20 Tri-Series at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. It was a dramatic end to the chase as Karthik hit a flat six over extra cover with India needing five to win with one ball left.

India were in control as they reached 132/4 after 17 overs in pursuit of Bangladesh’s 166/8, but Mustafizur Rahman had a different plan as he bowled a terrific wicket-maiden 18th over, conceding just a leg bye to the under-pressure rookie Vijay Shankar and dismissing Manish Pandey off the last ball. The equation changed to 34 off two overs when Karthik came in to bat, but the experienced finisher - he was Man of the Match in India’s very first T20I back in 2006 - displayed immense calmness to smash Rubel Hossain for a couple of sixes and fours to score 22 runs in the penultimate over.

The match was still not over with India needing 12 in the final over and with Shankar was on strike in his first International innings. The all-important final over started with a wide and a dot ball, before Shankar took a single. Karthik could manage just one in the next ball to leave the equation at nine from three balls. Shankar hit a four before falling off the penultimate delivery - mistiming a lofted shot down the ground - and Karthik took India home in style with a shot heard around the world.