IPL 2020: Dinesh Karthik's left-handed screamer sends rampaging Ben Stokes back

Former champions Kolkata and Rajasthan are battling for survival as they look to keep their Dream11 IPL 2020 hopes alive in the ongoing contest that is being played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. However, it was Dinesh Karthik's spectacular one-handed catch behind the stumps that stood out from the rest on Sunday night.

'An absolute stunner'

This happened in the third over of Rajasthan's stiff run chase of 192 that was bowled by Pat Cummins. On the very first delivery of that over, the Australian pacer bowled a fuller delivery as Stokes looked to hit him out of the park. However, he got a big outside edge and at one point, it seemed that the ball would comfortably travel past the vacant first and second slips for a boundary but that was not to be as DK showed a great presence of mind as he dived to his left and took a one-handed (left-handed) catch. A stunned English all-rounder could do nothing other than taking a long walk back to the pavilion while the Kolkata players celebrated like there is no tomorrow as they knew the importance of that wicket.

The southpaw had anchored Rajasthan's run chase in the previous two games with stellar half-centuries but it was not to be this time around.

Here's the spectacular catch from DK as a result of which Stokes' stay in the middle came to an abrupt end.

Kolkata in driver's seat

The two-time winners posted a challenging total of 191/7 in their 20 overs riding on a superlative knock of an unbeaten 35-ball 68 at a strike rate of 194.29 including five boundaries and six maximums after they were put in to bat by Rajasthan skipper Steve Smith.

In reply, the inaugural edition's champions never really got going in their run chase as they lost half their side inside the Powerplay overs. All eyes will be on star English wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler and he will be expected to do the unthinkable as Rajasthan look to keep their tournament hopes alive. A loss would knock them out of this year's competition. 

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