Dinesh Karthik showcased his great finishing abilities yet again as he smashed a quick-fire 55 off just 27 deliveries. The wicket-keeper-batter had a great show of worth, scoring the crucial runs when India was 81-4 after 13 overs. He played some important shots to set a target of 170 for SA to chase. Moreover, his comeback partner Hardik Pandya contributed well from the other end scoring 46 off 31. Surprisingly, it was Dinesh’s first T20 half-century for the Indian side. Moreover, Dinesh Karthik became the oldest Indian to score a half-century in the T20s. The seasoned finisher surpassed MS Dhoni to achieve the feat. Dhoni last smashed a T20 half-ton aged 36. However, Karthik who recently celebrated his 37th birthday now is the oldest half-centurion for India in the T20s.
Dinesh Karthik surpasses Dhoni to become the oldest Indian to score a half-century in T20s
“Just feels good. I am feeling very secure in this setup. In the last game things didn’t go according to plan, but I went and expressed myself today. I think DK is thinking a little better. He is able to assess situations better and that comes with practice. Credit to my coach. They bowled brilliantly upfront and made it tough for us. It was a tough pitch to bat on. It was hard to hit boundaries. Our openers have usually been kind enough to get us off to good starts. When I went in Hardik told me to take my time. It was important that players who have been around for long need to stand up on such pitches.
Bangalore is a home ground for me. I haven’t played with RCB, but have played a lot over there. It is good to see a bilateral series going down to the final match. To see the pressure being absorbed in the third and fourth games was something we would relish. Credit to Rahul Dravid; there is a certain sense of calmness. The dressing room is a calm place right now. It is important to learn to embrace pressure. It feels secure and fuzzy. That clarity and the environment helped.”
Dinesh Karthik, Player of the Match
