Dinesh Karthik finally opens up and explains why he denied single to Pandya

Dinesh Karthik was extremely close to repeating the heroics of the Nidahas Trophy final in the last T20 encounter against New Zealand in Hamilton. India were chasing a stiff target of 213 and they remained 4 runs short. The final game of the series went till the last over with India needing 16 runs off six deliveries. With two set batsman, Dinesh Karthik and Krunal Pandya still at the crease, every Indian fan had high hopes of witnessing a crackerjack finish.

The loss made it to the headlines more because Karthik had denied a single to Krunal Pandya on the third delivery of the last over as he backed himself to hit a six than anything else. Unfortunately for him and India, it didn’t happen and India lost. That 4 runs defeat will remind Dinesh Karthik of just one thing – should he have taken that one run?

Looking back to the game, Karthik finally opened up. “I think Krunal and I batted really well from that situation (145/6). We were able to bring the match down to a place where the bowlers were under pressure. We backed ourselves to do the job. And at that stage (after refusing the single), I genuinely believed that I could hit a six,” he was quoted as saying in The Indian Express.

“As a middle-order batsman, a lot of times you have to trust your ability to play those big shots under pressure. It is also important to trust your partner at that time. I did not come off on that occasion but those things happen in the game of cricket.”

Karthik backed himself

Both Krunal and Karthik shared an unbeaten 63-run stand off 28 balls but it was not enough to save the series. India lost the game by four runs and series 1-2.

“Some days you are able to hit a boundary, some days the bowler does a good job. And there, you have to give credit to Tim Southee for the way he executed those yorkers under pressure. One mistake there and I am sure we would have taken him down,” said Karthik.

Karthik said he genuinely believed that he could have hit six of the next ball and that was the only reason to deny the single to the elder of the Pandya brothers.  “I genuinely believed that I could hit a six,” he added.

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