“Let’s bring it home again”: Dinesh Karthik rejoices as Tamil Nadu cricket team enter Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22 final

Dinesh Karthik rejoices: The veteran Indian wicket-keeper batter hoped for Tamil Nadu to win a second consecutive Syed Mushtaq Ali title.

During the first semi-final of the ongoing 16th season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy between Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad in Delhi, Tamil Nadu beat Hyderabad by 8 wickets to confirm yet another final berth of India’s premier domestic T20 tournament.

Chasing a paltry 91-run target, Tamil Nadu cruised to victory in the 15th over on the back of a match-winning 76-run partnership for the third-wicket between batter Sai Sudharsan (34 not out) and captain Vijay Shankar (43 not out).

Having lost opening batters Narayan Jagadeesan (1) and Hari Nishaanth (14) cheaply in the powerplay, the defending champions were in a bit of a spot of bother but an experienced set such as theirs didn’t let a couple of early blows convert into a collapse at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Shankar’s decision to win the toss and chose to bowl was justified exceptionally well by his bowlers as they bundled out Hyderabad for 90 in 18.3 overs. Hyderabad, who lost half their side in the seventh over, couldn’t recover from a shambolic start.

Opening the bowling with Sandeep Warrier, Tamil Nadu pacer P Saravana Kumar registered a maiden five-wicket haul to dominate Hyderabad in a crucial match. Easily the pick of Tamil Nadu’s bowlers, Saravana Kumar’s magical bowling figures of 3.3-2-21-5 had laid the foundation of a clinical victory.

Dinesh Karthik rejoices as Tamil Nadu enter another Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final

Veteran India wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik, who had led Tamil Nadu to a title victory in the last season earlier this year, was quick to wish the team well ahead of what will be their fourth Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final.

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