OTD| Dinesh Karthik hit the iconic last-ball six to win the Nidahas trophy in 2018

Nidahas Trophy final in 2018 is one of the most iconic matches in recent times that the Indian team has been part of. India and Bangladesh met in the final which proved to be a thriller that is still etched in the memory of Indian fans. Dinesh Karthik’s last-over adventure is the highlight of that match. 

First Innings

Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, won the toss and elected to field first. Bangladesh could not start the final the way they would have wanted. With three top-order batters already back in the pavilion in the powerplay, Bangladesh were reeling. Sabbir Rahman showed some steel and took on Indian bowlers to bring his team into the battle. However, the Indian bowlers did not let the pressure ease off.

Experienced players like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah got starts but they could not make it big. The Indian spinners kept a tight grip over the match with Yuzvendra Chahal emerging as the top wicket-taker for India. Sabbir Rahman’s 77 runs and Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s explosive cameo propelled Bangladesh to 166 runs. It was a challenging total as the pitch was gripping a bit and it was not easy to play shots on that track. 

Dinesh Karthik pulls off a screamer

India had a swift start with the captain Rohit Sharma assuming the aggressor’s role. However, the chasing side had to suffer two early blows in the form of Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina. Rohit steered the batting order with his impressive half-century. Although he lost his wicket at a crucial juncture. India were reduced to 98/4 when Rohit was dismissed by Nazmul Islam. KL Rahul and Manish Pandey contributed with their small yet significant knocks. 

However, things became extremely interesting at the back end. Captain Rohit Sharma held Dinesh Karthik back and demoted him in the batting pecking order. Rohit’s instincts paid off as Dinesh Karthik pulled the match in India’s favour from a dire situation. India needed 12 runs in the last over. The gap narrowed and, in the end, the chasing side needed to score 5 runs on the last ball, and guess what, Dinesh Karthik smashed Soumya Sarkar for a victorious six. India won the match and lifted the Nidahas Trophy in a heroic fashion. 

Also read: Sri Lanka defeated Australia to lift the World Cup in 1996