COLOMBO, March 18: Wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Karthik (29 runs off eight balls) played a brilliant cameo towards the end as India beat Bangladesh by four wickets in the final of the Nidahas Trophy T20 tri-series at the R Premadasa Stadium here on Sunday.
Coming in the second last over with the scoreboard reading 133/5, Karthik announced his arrival at the crease through two sixes and a four in first three balls which narrowed the gap between remaining balls and required runs.
The drama unfolded in the last over when India needed five runs in the last ball. Kathik slammed a flat six over extra cover to clinch the issue.
Chasing 167, skipper Rohit Sharma (56) once again led from the front with his classy knock but failed to finish off the proceedings. Middle-order batsman Manish Pandey (28) played a sensible innings but was dismissed when needed the most. Then came Karthik who took India to victory.
India started off on a steady note as openers Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan (10) scored 32 runs in three overs but then Dhawan was dismissed by Shakib Al Hasan.
Suresh Raina (0), who also played a crucial role along with Rohit in the last match could not disturb his score this time as the Uttar Pradesh batsman was dismissed in the very next over by Rubel Hossain.
But incoming batsman Lokesh Rahul (24) and Rohit forged a crucial 51-run partnership before Rahul was sent packing by Hossain in the 10th over.
Just when things seemed good in the middle, Rohit departed with Nazmul Islam picking up the crucial wicket in the 14th over. His 42-balls innings was laced with four boundaries and three sixes.
SCORECARD
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal c Thakur b Chahal 15, Liton Das c Raina b Washington Sundar 11, Sabbir Rahman b Unadkat 77, Soumya Sarkar c Dhawan b Chahal 1, Mushfiqur Rahim c Shankar b Chahal 9, Mahmudullah run out 21, Shakib Al Hasan run out 7, Mehidy Hasan Miraz not out 19, Rubel Hossain b Unadkat 0, Mustafizur Rahman not out 0. Extras: (lb 2, w 4) 6. Total: (For 8 wickets in 20 overs) 166. Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-27, 3-33, 4-68, 5-104, 6-133, 7-147, 8-148. Bowling: JD Unadkat 4-0-33-2, Washington Sundar 4-0-20-1, YS Chahal 4-0-18-3, SN Thakur 4-0-45-0, V Shankar 4-0-48-0.
India: R Sharma c Mahmudullah b Nazmul Islam 56, S Dhawan c Ariful Haque b Shakib Al Hasan 10, S Raina c Mushfiqur Rahim b Rubel Hossain 0, KL Rahul c Sabbir Rahman b Rubel Hossain 24, M Pandey c Sabbir Rahman b Mustafizur Rahman 28, V Shankar c Mehidy Hasan Miraz b Soumya Sarkar 17, D Karthik not out 29, Washington Sundar not out 0. Extras: (lb 2, w 2) 4. Total: (For 6 wickets in 20 overs) 168. Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-32, 3-83, 4-98, 5-133, 6-162. Bowling: Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-28-1, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 1-0-17-0, Rubel Hossain 4-0-35-2, Nazmul Islam 4-0-32-1, Mustafizur Rahman 4-1-21-1, Soumya Sarkar 3-0-33-1. � Agencies
