Karthik’s last ball six brings India another Trophy

By Kersi Meher-Homji

The final between India and Bangladesh in Colombo last night was a match to remember. What a thriller! India needed six runs to win the Nidahas Twenty20 Tri-series off the  last  ball. And India’s Dinesh Karthik hit a tremendous six to win the Trophy for India.

Both India and Bangladesh entered the final after defeating host nation Sri Lanka in earlier rounds.

Winning the toss India’s captain Rohit Sharma sent Bangladesh in to bat. Sabbir Rahman scored an aggressive 77 with seven fours and four sixes as his team totalled 8 for 166. India’s leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who has yet to play a Test, took three vital wickets for 18 runs.

Skipper Rohit Sharma gave India an adventurous start smashing 56 runs studded with four fours and three sixes. But then wickets tumbled and came the final ball of the epic final. India needed six runs to win.

The batsman in the middle with a huge task was Dinesh Karthik. And he hit a huge six off Soumya Sarkar to win the match. Man of the Match Karthik had scored a match-winning and unbeaten 29 off only eight balls, skying three sixes and grounding two fours.

Eighteen year-old off-spinner Washington Sundar was named Man of the Series for his earlier eye-catching performances against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

India’s winning run continues, against all countries, at home and away.

And for India to triumph in the current T20 tri-series despite the absence of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav can only be termed phenomenal.

Rohit Sharma said at the presentation last night, “Brilliant game! The support we got from the crowd was brilliant.”

Brilliant, India.

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