Dinesh Karthik was upset when he was demoted to No. 7: Rohit Sharma

India had needed 34 off 12 balls in the Nidahas Trophy tri-series final against Bangladesh. Vijay Shankar and Manish Pandey were struggling to get going prior to the penultimate over. After Pandey fell for 28, Dinesh Karthik came out at No.7 and it seemed like the match had slipped away. (IND v BAN HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD)

In pictures: Dinesh Karthik hits last-ball six as India clinch Nidahas Trophy T20 title

However, the Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper batsman blasted 29 off eight balls to help India seal the title in dramatic style and prolong Bangladesh’s agony in Twenty20s.

Speaking in the post-match press conference, Rohit Sharma, the Indian cricket team skipper, admitted Karthik was upset with his demotion. “I told him - I want you to bat and finish off the game for us, because whatever skill you have, it will be required in the last three or four overs. He can do that for us. That is the only reason he was not batting at six in the 13th over when I got out. He was quite upset with that. He’ll now be quite happy how he finished off the game. To do what he did today will give him a lot of confidence going forward,” Rohit said.

Thinking of super over

When Vijay Shankar (17) fell in the final over bowled by Soumya Sarkar, India needed five runs off one ball. Karthik, though was on strike and he carved a full and wide ball over deep extra cover for a six to spark delirious celebrations in the Indian camp.

The Indian skipper though was all prepared for the super over. “Last ball, I had already gone inside to wear my pads thinking about a super over. So I did not see the last ball. The way the celebrations kicked off in the dressing room, I got to know we have won and Dinesh has hit that six (sic),” Rohit said.

Rohit, who hit his 14th fifty and his second consecutive against Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy, explained the situation Vijay Shankar underwent in the final overs. “We always knew that there’s one experienced player and one guy who has the talent to play those big shots. Unfortunately, Shankar couldn’t connect but then he hadn’t batted at all in this tournament, it was his first time and to bat in such pressure, it is never easy. I am sure he would have learnt a lot,” Rohit said.

‘Never easy in death’

Karthik slammed 22 runs in the 19th over bowled by Rubel Hossain and Rohit admitted India were lucky in having that one big over. “It can happen to anyone. It can happen to anyone when you bowl those big overs. It’s never easy at the death. The pressure is always on the bowler not the batsman because batsmen have a few batsmen to come and play. Dinesh and Manish and Vijay knew that the pressure is on them,” the Indian skipper said.

With the Nidahas Trophy Twenty20 tri-series done, the focus will now shift to the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League that begins on April 7.