Since the 2015 World Cup, Bangladesh often gave India a run for their money. While they pulled off some memorable wins, like Bangladesh’s 2-1 ODI series triumph shortly after that World Cup, India have snatched victory out of nowhere on more than one occasion.
India’s two most famous heists were in the 2016 World T20 game in Bengaluru, and the Nidahas Trophy final two years later.
Watch: With a six off the last ball in Colombo, Dinesh Karthik orchestrated a heist for the ages to claim the Nidahas Trophy for India.
The India’s wicketkeeper had a major role to play on each occasion. In 2016, MS Dhoni removed his right glove to give himself the best shot of hitting the stumps. In 2018, Dinesh Karthik launched an unsparing assault with the bat, having begun from a barely winnable position.
Karthik came out with two overs left in the game. India had just lost their fifth wicket, and the required rate was 17. Karthik was among the last recognised batters.
None of that made for strong odds for the batting team. But across the eight balls he faced, Karthik batted like a video game character, impervious to pressure.
Karthik has never been the kind to fist-pump and yell a la Virat Kohli. That is not to say he is a paragon of a calm and collected player. On his worst day, he can be twitchy enough to make Steve Smith look like a monk in penance.
But in that final, he dealt with it all with such coolness that you could be forgiven for mistaking him for the man he replaced in the XI.
Of course, he was helped in no small measure by Rubel Hossain’s generous spread of half-volleys and full tosses. Ball after ball, Rubel missed his length, and Karthik ripped him to shreds.
After a sequence of six-four-six to start the 19th over, Karthik punched another four off the last ball to peel 22 off the target.
At this point, Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, and Nazmul Islam had all bowled out, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s only over had gone for 17. Having run out of options, Shakib trusted part-timer Soumya Sarkar with a third over.
With 12 to defend, Sarkar began well, conceding three off the first three balls, Vijay Shankar guided the next ball to the deep-third fence. He lofted the fifth ball, but Mehidy ran from long-off and collided with Sabbir Rahman at long-on, and still came up with the catch.
The batters had crossed, and Karthik had been left to score five off the last ball. Sarkar steamed in one final time. Karthik was ready, eyes like a hawk, waiting to pounce on anything off target.
The error presented itself in the form of a half-volley. With Karthik in this sort of mood, there was no way that was not going to be converted.
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He gleefully accepted it and swung for the extra-cover fence. For a moment, it seemed set to bounce before the ropes, but Karthik had hardly put a foot wrong on the day, and was not about to now.
Flat as it may have been, the ball sailed all the way over the extra cover boundary for six. India rushed out to embrace their hero. Bangladesh crumbled in a heap.
For the first time in years, Dinesh Karthik was the talk of the town, and deservedly so, for having orchestrated a heist for the ages.
