“India’s Main Bowlers Were Afraid To Bowl Last Over In 2007 T20 World Cup Final”: Shoaib Malik

Ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup final between Pakistan and England, which the latter won by five wickets, star batter Shoaib Malik made a startling revelation, saying main bowlers of the Indian cricket team were afraid to bowl the final over in the 2007 T20 World Cup summit clash against Pakistan. It is important to note that at the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007, and it was India that lifted the trophy after edging past Pakistan in the final. In the last over of the game, with Pakistan needing 13 runs and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq batting, then India captain MS Dhoni decided to give the final over to Joginder Sharma.

“I will not take names. Each of India’s main bowlers had one over left. MS Dhoni asked everyone, but they refused to bowl the last over. They were afraid to bowl to Misbah-ul-Haq. He was hitting all over the ground. People always talk about that scoop shot by Misbah. I am telling you, If it was not the last wicket, he must have hit him down the ground. He had already hit Joginder for a big six in that over,” Malik said on A Sports’ show The Pavilion.

However, contrary to Malik’s claim, all senior Indian pacers like RP Singh, Irfan Pathan and Sreesanth had already bowled their full quota of four overs before the 20th and last over of the 2007 final. Only off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan, who was also a spinner, had their overs left. Dhoni decided to give the ball to Joginder Sharma, a pacer instead.

In the final over, Pakistan needed 13 runs to win, and Misbah had smashed the second ball for a six straight down the ground. With the equation coming down to 6 off 4 balls, the right-handed batter Misbah opted to go for a scoop shot, but ended up giving a simple catch to Sreesanth who was positioned at short fine-leg.

“That was the shot I was playing throughout the tournament. The plan was to get a boundary and then we will need one run to level the score; they will bring the field up and then I will finish the match,” recollected Misbah.

India have failed to win the T20 World Cup after 2007 while Pakistan had won the tournament in 2009 after defeating Sri Lanka in the final.