Dinesh Karthik Recalls Nidahas Trophy Final Ahead Of India's First T20I vs Sri Lanka At Colombo

After having won the three-match One-day International series against Sri Lanka, the Shikhar Dhawan-led Team India will be looking to bag another series in their kitty as they lock horns with the home side in three T20is over the next few days.

The last time India played a T20I at the Premadasa in Colombo, it proved to be a historic night for Dinesh Karthik (29* off 8 balls) as the right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman produced a cameo for the ages to help his team get past the finishing line.

Chasing 167 to list the Nidahas tri-nation final, Team India was in a spot of bother when Dinesh Karthik came out to bat in the 19th over.

Vijay Shankar was in the midst of a nightmare as the rookie Tamil Nadu cricketer struggled to get any sort of momentum to his innings.

With 33 needed off the last 12 balls, the onus was on Dinesh Karthik to pull off a heist.

And, that is exactly what the veteran cricketer did.

Karthik announced himself with a six straight over Rubel Hossain’s head on the very first ball of the 19th over.

He then backed it up with a boundary towards midwicket before smoking Hossain for a whirlwind six over deep square-leg.

Karthik finished off the over by peddling Rubel for a 4 over fine-leg to bring the equation down to 12 off the last six balls.

Vijay Shankar finally got one past point and third-man in the final over to reduce the equation down to 5 off 2 balls before he holed out at mid-off in an attempt to hit a six.

Karthik, however, got the strike on the final delivery and he proceeded to hit Soumya Sarkar for one of the flattest six you’d ever see.

It was yet another length ball by Sarkar on the 5th stump line and DK proceeded to hit it inside-out over the cover region as the crowd in Colombo went bonkers.

India pulled off a heist for the ages to win the Nidahas Trophy final, thanks to one man and one man only- Dinesh Karthik.

3.5 years later as India gears up to play another T20I at the same venue, Dinesh Karthik took to his Twitter account to recall that magical night.

‘India playing a T20I at Colombo… it’s been a long time!”- wrote Dinesh Karthik.

India playing a T20I at Colombo… it's been a long time! ☺️#INDvSL

— DK (@DineshKarthik) July 25, 2021

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