T20 World Cup 2022: WATCH- “Thank you for saving me”- Dinesh Karthik tells R Ashwin as Team India leaves Melbourne

India defeated Pakistan by 4 wickets in their opening match of T20 WC in MCG.

India keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik was thankful to his Tamil Nadu and India teammate R Ashwin for saving him after the off-spinner hit the winning runs in the Men in Blue’s first T20 World Cup 2022 encounter against Pakistan on Sunday in Melbourne.

Virat Kohli had single-handedly brought India back into the match after 48 runs were needed off the last 18 balls. He slammed 3 fours to Shaheen Afridi, and hit Haris Rauf for two amazing sixes to bring the equation down to 16 runs off the last over, bowled by Mohammad Nawaz.

The first ball saw Hardik Pandya getting out caught and then Dinesh Karthik taking a single. Virat Kohli ran a two off the 3^rd ball. The 4^th ball was a waist-high full-toss which Kohli dispatched for a six and was called a no-ball as well. The next ball was a wide ball.

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Then Kohli and Karthik ran three off the byes on the next ball and 2 runs were needed off 2 balls with Karthik on strike. But the keeper got out stumped off Nawaz. And Ashwin had walked out to bat with the side needing 2 runs of the final ball.  

He then calmly allowed the delivery bowled by Pakistan bowler Mohammad Nawaz to slide down the leg side and that led to a wide ball, leveling the scores with all the fielders in the circle to stop the single, Ashwin bunted the last ball over mid-off to take the match-winning single.

On Tuesday, the BCCI's official social media handles posted a video of Team India leaving for Sydney for Melbourne where they will play their second match of the tournament against the Netherlands on Thursday.

In the video, Dinesh Karthik thanked Ashwin, saying: "Thank you for saving me yesterday, so cool and calm."

Here is the video: