Dinesh Karthik’s cricketing career is nothing short of an inspiration for all the budding youngsters who’re aspiring to adorn the Indian colours someday in future. The right-handed batsman who made it into the Indian team at a very young age soon found himself in and out of the team with fluctuations in his batting form.
Moreover, the rise of other wicketkeeper batsmen like MS Dhoni made it even more difficult for Karthik to make his presence felt amongst the Indian National team selectors. However, the most significant part of his career might be his recent comeback to the Indian team.
The 37-year-old had an incredibly good IPL 2022 scoring fantastic runs down the order for RCB. The wicket-keeper was provided with a chance to feature into the Indian T20I side after a long time on the back of his batting blitz in the IPL and achieved great results with the bat for his side while making a comeback remembered for the ages.
It’s time for us to take a look at three of his best innings in T20 Internationals for India.
3. 55(27) vs South Africa (2022)
Dinesh Karthik’s first quality performance with the bat came against South Africa in the fourth T20I match. After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, India looked shaky after losing wickets regularly. The run rate also wasn’t as much high and it seemed as if India would not be able to post a good total on the boards.
It was then that Dinesh Karthik took matters into his own hand and stitched up a vital middle-order partnership with Hardik Pandya to a competitive total of 169 in 20 overs. Karthik smashed a brilliant Half-century and finished at 55 off 27 balls.
His fabulous big shots towards the later half of the innings against a quality South Africa death bowling were remarkable indeed. India went on to win the game by 82 runs and Karthik was awarded the Man Of The Match.
2. 41*(18) vs West Indies (2022)
Another fabulous inning from Dinesh Karthik came in the first T20I of the 5-match series against the West Indies. India while batting first was being choked by the opposition bowlers who managed to pick regular wickets to lower the run rate.
Rohit Sharma who was looking well set after a half-century was dismissed and at one stage the score seemed to barely reach 150. Dinesh Karthik took the fans by surprise with his incredible finishing touches as he smashed the bowlers for sixes and fours in the last few overs and took the total to a magnificent 190 in the 20 overs.
Karthik smashed 3 sixes and 3 fours in his innings of 41 as India won the match by a massive margin of 68 runs. Karthik once again was awarded the man of the match.
1. 29*(8) vs Bangladesh (2018 Nidahas Trophy final)
Probably one of the most unimaginable Innings in the history of T20I was seen from the bat of Dinesh Karthik when he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for India in the final of the Nidahas Trophy final against Bangladesh in 2018.
During their chase of 165, India was in serious trouble and the batters struggled to find the fence against the consistently tight bowling from the Bangladesh Bowlers. Dinesh came into bat at no.6 when India needed 35 runs off the last 2 overs. Karthik smashed Rubel Hossain’s penultimate over for 22 runs which included 2 sixes and 2 fours.
The final over which was bowled by Soumya Sarkar included a lot of drama and suspense. With Vijay Shankar caught in Mid Wicket while trying to find a maximum off the penultimate delivery, India needed 5 runs off the last ball. Dinesh Karthik shocked the stadium and the cricketing World when he smashed the last ball for a flat six-over cover.
The match will always be remembered for its incredible twists and turns. Dinesh Karthik was deservedly awarded the man of the match for his unbelievable finishing touch to an incredible game of cricket for India.
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