India needed 5 runs in the last ball to beat Bangladesh in the final of the 2018 Nidahas Trophy. Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik was on the strike while all-rounder Soumya Sarkar was the man trying to stop him from winning the finale for India.
The crowd of Colombo, the venue for the encounter, was on its feet as the roller-coaster ride was about to end in a span of minutes. Though Bangladesh had the edge, Karthik had so far ensured India remained in contention.
Sarkar bowled the final delivery outside the off stump, nearly a half-volley, and Karthik hoicked the ball with mighty power and it sailed over the boundary ropes for one of the flattest sixes ever. Nonetheless, India got more than what was needed and the thrilling journey ended in their favour.
“I was waiting for such a moment like that to prove myself. I had been practicing a lot to face a chance like this. When the real situation came to go through that I think it is fun at that stage. Lots of it happen in an auto mode,” said Karthik walking down memory lane, as quoted by IANS.
India needed 34 runs the final two overs and Karthik’s unbeaten 29 off just 8 balls saved India the blushes.
“As you practice a lot and when you are at that stage you know what you need to do. I had belief that we would win that match, it was 2 overs 34 runs to win, and I still thought that I could win this game for the team,” he added.