Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has recently shared his embarrassing incident with the former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly during his early international cricketing career. Talking about that incident, Karthik also revealed the nickname that he earned after that incident.
That incident happened back in 2004, the year when Karthik made his international cricket debut. It was September 19, 2004, when India met with Pakistan at Birmingham in the Group C encounter of 2004 ICC Champions Trophy.
Dinesh Karthik, who had only two ODIs experiences, was not in the playing XI of that important game. It was the first ever Champions Trophy meeting between India and Pakistan.
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While it was the must-win game for both the teams to advance in the semi-final, Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq decided to field first after winning the toss. With the help of Naved-ul-Hasan’s 4/25 and Shoaib Akhtar’s 4/36, Sourav Ganguly’s leading India was bundled out for just 200 runs in 49.5 overs. Only Rahul Dravid (67 runs) and Ajit Agarkar (47 runs) reached the 30-run mark in that innings.
In reply, Pakistan had the very poor start but Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf provided an important 75-run partnership for the fourth wicket. But after Inzamam was dismissed on 41 runs, Pakistan innings suffered another collapse. Despite Indian bowlers’ hard fighting, Pakistan had the last laugh in that close encounter as they reached the target in 49.2 overs after losing seven wickets, thanks to Yousuf’s unbeaten 81 runs and Shahid Afridi’s late quick-fire knock of 25 runs off 12 balls.
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Irfan Pathan bowled very well in that game as he had a bowling figure of 9-1-34-3 but still it failed to secure a victory.
Coming to Dinesh Karthik’s embarrassing moment with the skipper Sourav Ganguly, Karthik recently revealed at the ‘Breakfast with Champions’ show.
Talking with Gaurav Kapoor in that show, Karthik said, “I was just 18 back then and I was trying to make my way into the side. It was the India-Pakistan match in the Champions Trophy. Pakistan had a brilliant partnership and they were inching closer towards the target and out of the blue, India got a wicket. It was a big wicket and everyone was pumped up. Dada (Ganguly) was leading the hurdle.
“I was a substitute in that game and I had to carry drinks to the players. I was running towards the players to give them drinks and accidentally, I slipped and fell on Dada. He got frustrated and yelled, “Where do you get these players from, who is he?”
Karthik feels that he got away from that incident due to being a youngster. After that incident, Karthik got the “chota cheeka” nickname from the team members.
Karthik said on that, “I feel I got away from that incident being a youngster. They started calling me chota cheeka after that game.”
Here is the full video:
