Dinesh Karthik helps Tamil Nadu clinch the title: The ‘man in form’ Dinesh Karthik, does it yet again. After being instrumental in guiding his team, Tamil Nadu, win the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017, by scoring an excellent century (112, 198m, 120b, 14*4), the wicket-keeper batsman played another scintillating knock when it really mattered.
Facing a tough India B, led by Paarthiv Patel, Tamil Nadu registered a 42-run victory, thereby winning the title.
Electing to bat, Tamil Nadu found themselves in ‘troubled waters,’ losing 3 wickets for only 39 runs in 10.3 overs.
A 136-run partnership for the fourth-wicket between the 21-year old, Narayan Jagadeesan (55) and Dinesh Karthik brought the team ‘back on rails’ and put them in a position of 175/4 in 30.3 overs.
Playing in his fourth List A game, Jagadeesan brought up his 3rd half-ton.
Karthik had another useful partnership of 66 runs for the fifth-wicket alongwith his skipper, Vijay Shankar (21) and took his team’s score to 241/5 before being caught by Srivats Goswami off the bowling of Axar Patel.
By then he had brought up his 10th List A century. Facing 91 balls in an innings that lasted 125 minutes, Karthik notched up 126 runs at a strike rate of 138.46 with the help of 14 fours and 3 sixes.
This whirlwind innings helped Tamil Nadu to put up 303 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their quota of 50 overs.
For India B, the pacer, Dhawal Kulkarni returned with the analysis of 10-1-39-5 and was the most successful bowler.
Chasing 304 runs for a win, India B could last only for 46.1 overs and mustered 261 runs. This was possible due to a very responsible innings played by Gurkeerat Singh Mann, scoring 64 runs off 85 balls, aided by 7 hits to the fence.
Another meaningful innings was played by Harpreet Singh, who, facing 51 balls, notched up 36 runs with 3 fours.
The Tamil Nadu restricted the India B batsmen and went on to win the game and the title by 42 runs.
Left-arm spinner, Rasil Shah picked up 3 wickets, giving away 40 runs in his spell of 10 overs.
For his match-winning knock, Dinesh Karthik was awarded the Player of the Match.