We are the champions...
It's a dream come true. I had always wondered if I would every watch India winning a major tournament final and what a game the finals of the Twenty20 World Cup turned out to be. To beat Pakistan in a close match.... I could not have asked for more. Great team work. It was a wonderful tournament for India, especially the youngsters who have taken over the team.
Turning points of the match
Six or out ?
Last over of the Indian innings. Young Rohit Sharma takes a mighty swipe at a slower ball from Sohail Tanvir. The ball travels high and far but does not have enough on it to clear the midwicket boundary. Hafeez positions himself correctly under the ball and is all set to take the catch. The ball thuds into his palms. Has he got it? No! The ball plops out and falls over the boundary ropes. SIX!! If Hafeez had taken that catch India would have scored a good 6 runs lesser and it might have made all the difference in the end. Rohit Sharma remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. His scores were 50*(40) against South Africa, 8*(5) against Australia in the semi final and finally 30*(16) against Pakistan in the final. Rohit Sharma to me was the find of the tournament. It remains to be seen if he can make a career out of his talent.
Pulling a run out (of the hat)
Sixth over of the Pakistan innings. Although India have got a good start, Imran Nazir tears into the Indian attack. Would he steal the match away from India ? The listless Younis Khan drives the slower ball from Sreesanth to mid-off. Nazir, on the non striker end, is slow to set off for the run. Robin Uthappa collects the ball and in one motion fires a powerful throw to the striker's end and knocks of the leg stump with his direct hit. Watching the action live it looks like Nazir has just made his ground. The Indians go into an involuntary celebration. The leg umpire signals to the third umpire and all eyes are on the camera. Unbelievable!!! Uthappa's throw finds Nazir well short of his crease and his 14-ball 33 comes to an abrupt end. Nazir could have easily stolen the match away from India. But the power of India's youth strikes a fatal blow to his plans.
Irfan's double strike
Twelfth over of the Pakistan innings. Pakistan are 76/4 (82 runs required from 54 balls) with the dangerous Misbah-ul-Haq and captain Shoaib Malik at the crease. With Afridi still to come, the match is evenly poised. In comes Irfan Pathan for this 2nd over. With the ball not really coming on the bat, Irfan bowls cleverly and flummoxes the Pakistanis with his change of pace. In a space of 3 balls he has Malik caught at mid-wicket and then Afridi caught at mid-off for a first ball duck. This completely changes the complexion of the game. Pathan ends up with 3/16 off his 4 overs and deservedly wins the Man of the Match.
The Finale
Final over. 13 needed of 6 balls with just 1 wicket in hand. Misbah, the reviver of the Pakistani innings, is on strike. Both Harbhajan and rookie Joginder Sharma have an over left. But Harbhajan was taken for 19 runs (including 3 sixes) off his 3rd over by Misbah. Would Dhoni rely on Harbhajan's guile in the most important over of the tournament or would he rely on Joginder and lady luck to help him ? Dhoni, the maverick that he is, tosses the ball to Joginder. India's supporters have their hearts in their mouth.
First ball - Wide. The pressure seems to have got the better of Joginder. 12 off 6 balls.
First ball again - Short off good length ball and Misbah is unable to score off it. 12 off 5 balls.
Second ball - Listless full toss outside the off stump and Misbah scores maximum. SIX!! 6 needed off 4 balls and it looks like Misbah has pulled off the impossible. The ghosts of Miandad (the heart breaking last ball six) and Salim Malik (the forgettable match at Calcutta) loom large in our minds. Have we lost yet another game against Pakistan when it mattered most ? Would India lose its first ever world cup match against Pakistan ?
Third ball - Joginder runs in. Even before he reaches the popping crease, Misbah steps out a few paces and he is now well outside his off stump. All his stumps are visible. Joginder fires one to his body. Misbah, in the most uncricketing of shots, scoops the ball with the hope that it goes over the fielder at short fine leg and to the boundary. For a moment all we see is the ball in the air with the crowd in the background. Has Misbah beaten the fielder ? Is it curtains for India ? As the camera follows the trajectory of the ball, a blue jersey comes into the frame. Sreesanth latches on to what is probably the most important catch of his life and ITS OVER. India are the Twenty20 world champions!!! I start breathing normally again after 4 hours of inexplicable trauma.
A million thanks to Kram for getting the package that enabled us to watch the match. A trillion thanks to Mayhemz for landing up at our place to cheer India to victory.