Dinesh Karthik became the oldest Indian batter to score a half-century in T20 Internationals during the fourth T20I between India and South Africa at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Friday.
At 37 years and 16 days, Karthik went past Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who scored a 28-ball unbeaten 52 against South Africa in 2018 at 36 years and 229 days.
Karthik's 26-ball fifty was his first in T20Is, his previous best being a 29-ball 48 against West Indies in 2017. Karthik got to the mark with a slog sweep for six over deep-midwicket off Dwaine Pretorius in the 20th over before being dismissed next ball at deep backward square leg for a 27-ball 55.
READ | Dinesh Karthik slams maiden T20I fifty 15 years after debut
Karthik is making a comeback into the Indian team, having last played a T20I more than three years ago in February 2019. He was drafted in squad for the ongoing series on the back of a stellar IPL 2022 with Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he scored 330 runs in 16 innings at an astounding strike rate of 183.33.
The wicketkeeper-batter made his T20I debut in 2006 against South Africa. Co-incidentally, that was the first-ever T20I match played by India, which it won by six wickets. Karthik was the Player of the Match in that game with an unbeaten 28-ball 31.
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