In-form Karthik helps Tamil Nadu clinch Deodhar Trophy

Tamil Nadu clinched the 2016-17 Deodhar Trophy after Dinesh Karthik struck a 91-ball 126 to rescue his side, who were initially struggling at 39 for 3. Rahil Shah's three crucial wickets - Shikhar Dhawan, Manish Pandey and Gurkeerat Singh Mann - eventually helped them beat India B comprehensively by 42 runs in Visakhapatnam.

Karthik, who recently scored a match-winning 112 in the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy to help TN qualify for the Deodhar Trophy, carried a rich vein of form entering the three-team tournament. After knocks of 88 against Kerala, 81 against Tripura, 77 against Baroda and 112 in the Vijay Hazare final against Bengal, Karthik struck 93 crucial runs against India A two days ago before completing his tenth List A century on Wednesday.

He came in at No. 5, after Dhawal Kulkarni ran through TN's top three, and partnered N Jagadeesan in what would seem like a rebuilding process. But Karthik had other ideas, taking the challenge to the opposition, hitting 14 fours and three sixes to set up a strong platform for TN. Jagadeesan gave scored a patient 55 as the two built a 136-run fourth-wicket partnership. India B's Axar Patel, who went for over six runs per over, finally removed Karthik in the 39th over, but by then the wicketkeeper-batsman had taken their run rate past the six-run mark. TN scored another 62 runs off the last 11 overs to finish on 303 for 9 even as wickets tumbled towards the finish. Kulkarni took two late wickets to finish with 5 for 39.

After India B captain Parthiv Patel fell in the fourth over of the chase, Dhawan (45 off 34 balls) and Pandey (32) took on the TN bowlers. They added 64 runs off 45 balls to give their team a solid start. But a flurry of wickets and an untimely injury to Pandey pegged India B back. Dhawan was the first to go, in the 11th over, followed by Ishank Jaggi six balls later, before Pandey retired hurt for 23 at the score of 93 for 3. Gurkeerat kept the chase ticking with a well-constructed half-century but with wickets falling at the other end, India B succumbed to the rising required run rate and were all out for 261 in 46.1 overs. Pandey did return to bat at 222 for 6 but was stumped for 32 off left-arm spinner Shah who finished with 3 for 40 from 10 overs.