The five-match T20I series between India and South Africa is coming to a conclusion after the hosts pushed the series into a decider with a crucial 82-run victory in Rajkot on Friday, June 17. After losing the first two matches, India, captained by Rishabh Pant, have made a strong comeback with victories in the third and fourth T20Is.
The fourth match saw veteran Dinesh Karthik turn the screws back as he scored a brilliant 55 runs in just 27 balls, scoring at a rate of 203.70. The 37-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, who played his first T20I India back in 2006, scored his first half-century for the country after 16 years. He also became the oldest player in India to score a fifty in T20 Internationals for the Men in Blue.
Speaking after the game, Karthik was quick to heap praise on head coach Rahul Dravid before the game, and also shared the advice that Hardik Pandya gave him when he came out to bat. "I would like to give credit to my coach Rahul Dravid, who has prepared me like this after facing difficult bowling at the nets. There would have been a lot of peace in his presence." The atmosphere in the dressing room is very calm.
"This pitch was not easy for batting. It was not easy to hit the boundaries. Our openers have given a good start so far. When I reached the crease, Hardik Pandya told me that the set Take your time to be there. Such pitches require a player to stay on. Bangalore is like a home ground for me. I haven't played for RCB there but have played a lot there," he added.
Karthik was overlooked for many years as the India team had a set squad. However, with many young guns entering the team, a veteran's place is necessary and Karthik's exhilarating performances for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season made him a top contender for this place.
The match was a topsy-turvy affair for India and would have ended as a low-scoring one if not for the heroics of Karthik. He shared a 33-ball 65-run partnership for the fifth wicket with vice-captain Hardik as India reached a challenging score of 169/6. In response, the South Africans were bundled for just 87 runs. Avesh Khan took four wickets for 18 runs in the spell of four overs. The fifth and final T20I match of the series will be played in Bangalore on Sunday, June 19.
