India’s great keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has opened up on some selected memory ahead of their tour of Bangladesh. He opined that the 2018 Nidahas Trophy final corpse was the most unforgettable, given the atmosphere and background.
India’s victory over Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy final was one of their most well-known wins, with Karthik in the thick of it. The right-handed batter smashed 29 off 8 deliveries to snatch the win from the jaws of defeat, including a last-ball 6 to take India to a 4-wicket win.
A superb finish!
Hitting 29 of just 8 balls, Dinesh Karthik took #TeamIndia🇮🇳 over the line in a nail-biting match against #SriLanka in 2018.#DineshKarthik #Cricket #CricketTwitter @DineshKarthik @BCCI @GCAMotera pic.twitter.com/QPgmxggIRl— Dhanraj Nathwani (@DhanrajNathwani) July 23, 2022
Talking to Cricbuzz, Karthik remember that a lot rode on that final, given how Sri Lankan cricket lovers assisted India due to their contention with Bangladesh.
He said:
“For me personally, I think the Nidahas Trophy final. There was a lot riding on it and interestingly they had developed a very big rivalry with Sri Lanka, which enabled all of SL to support India, which meant that there was a full house, and every person on that ground was supporting India and it was a fabulous match, a curtain-ending game for the season and what a final it.”
The Tamil Nadu players opined that Bangladesh has been one of the most advanced sides over the years and that they have given India a real fight. He thinks Bangladesh can no more be named minnows.
He added:
“Yeah, we have to understand I think, along with Afghanistan, the nation that has developed their cricket phenomenally in these last couple of decades has to be Bangladesh. Earlier, they were looked at as a minnow, but I don’t think we can call them that anymore, given the way they have been upping their credentials in white-ball cricket especially.”
“And the fact that over a period of time they have pushed India in a lot of matches. You know they have beaten us sometimes, but more often than not they have pushed us down the wire, obviously it shows the way they have improved.”
Ahead of the 3-game ODI rubber, which starts on December 4, the Tigers can draw conviction from their first two-sided series win over India in 2015. The victory came on the back of a splendid bowling performance from Mustafizur Rahman, who took 11 scalps in the first 2 games.