With last-ball six, RCB powers through to semi-final

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Bangalore, Oct 5: Young K B Arun Karthik turned out to be an unlikely hero hitting a stunning six off the last delivery of the match to power Royal Challengers Bangalore to the semi-final of the Champions League Twenty20 beating South Australia Redbacks by two wickets.

RCB joins Mumbai Indians, New South Wales Blues and Somerset in the last four.

The Redbacks had scored a commanding 214 for two in 20 overs, which the RCB chased down with two wickets in hand.

RCB celebrates after a thrilling last-ball finish against South Australia Redbacks to squeak through to the semis.

With six needed of fthe last delivery, Daniel Christian bowled a slower one just outside the off-stump and Karthik, who plays Ranji Trophy for Tamil Nadu, waited for the delivery and swung it over mid-wicket as Redbacks players looked stunned.

It’s not everyday that a team that has a batsman who scored a century (Daniel Harris) and a bowler who has taken a five-wicket haul (Shaun Tait) end up on the losing side.

A swashbuckling century by Daniel Harris and a smashing 70 from Callum Ferguson powered South Australia Redbacks to 214 for two in 20 overs.

It looked like an imposing total, but RCB gave a fitting reply courtesy Tillekaratne Dilshan (74 off 47 balls) and Virat Kohli (70 off 36 balls) who added 100 runs in 8.5 overs before Tait came back to bowl an inspiring second spell.

In the penultimate over of the match, Tait swung it in Redbacks’ favour taking three wickets to end with spectacular figures of five for 31 in a match that was dominated by batsemen.

However, the match was still in the balance – with seven required of the last two balls. Sreenath Aravind got one off the second last ball before Karthik got into the act.

The seeds of victory were, however, sown by Kohli and Dilshan, expecially the former who played one of his best T20 knocks. He hit four boundaries and six sixes, most of which were proper cricketing shot. Dilshan hit a few lusty blows mixed with cheeky shots in between.

For the Australian side, the “Doctor was on call” as Harris (a qualified medical practitioner) was the star of the innings.

The right hander took charge right from the start with his audacious strokes that stunned the RCB bowlers. His magnificent innings was laced with 17 hits to the fence and two sixes one of which was the one which helped him reach his maiden T20 ton.

Ferguson was equally brilliant at the other end, scoring a 43-ball 70, studded with four boundaries and three sixes.

After losing skipper Michael Klinger (7), Harris joined hands with Ferguson as the second wicket pair stitched a belligerent century partnership of 114 runs coming off only 75 balls.

Harris showed no respect to RCB’s left arm seamer Dirk Nannes, hitting him for four consecutive boundaries taking 18 runs in the process. He was particularly severe on Arvind, creaming 28 runs in two overs.

For RCB, Syed Mohammad and Rajoo Bhatkal claimed a wicket apiece.