Misbah recalls Pak’s T20 World Cup 2007 heartbreak: Over confidence ruined it

sanjeev

khelja|12-07-2024

Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq recalled Pakistan's heartbreaking loss in the T20 World Cup 2007 final against India. He rued Pakistan's loss in a thrilling final, which India won by 5 runs.
Misbah admitted that over-confidence led to their downfall as they failed to chase down the target. Misbah, who led the Pakistan team in the final of the tournament, had almost brought them towards the brink of a victory. However, he could not help his team cross the line when they needed 13 runs off the final over to lift the maiden title. The final between the two teams was played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on September 24, 2007. India batted first and went on to post 157 runs on the board on the back of Gautam Gambhir's 75 from 54 balls and 16-ball 30 by Rohit Sharma. Misbah said that the Pakistan team was confident of chasing down the target due to short boundaries. "We were very confident because of the kind of pitch there was and the kind of (short) boundaries, it was very tough for India because they were dependent on their spin bowling," Misbah told in a Star Sports interaction. "At the Wanderers, it's very difficult for the spinners usually and their main bowler at that time was Harbhajan Singh. For an offspinner to bowl with short side boundaries there (was tough), and usually we play spin well," he added. Misabh recalls T20 World Cup 2007 final  
  Pakistan loses from brink of victory However, Pakistan were reduced to 26/2 as RP Singh managed to get India two early breakthroughs. It was coupled with the run-out of Imran Nazir, who scored 14-ball 33 and Pakistan were under pressure. "We thought ke ye to koi mushkil runs nahi hain (not a difficult target to chase), just need a good start. But I think losing quick wickets in 2-3 overs, the run-out of Imran Nazir, that basically put pressure on us. At one point we were 77 for 6. So because of the fall of wickets, the target became difficult," Misbah analysed. The two partnerships of 27 and 34 runs between Misbah and Vasir Arafat & Misbah and Sohail Tanvir put Pakistan back on track to chase down the target. "Mujhe lagta hai overconfident ho ke hi kaam kharab hua (I think things went bad because of overconfidence),"Misbah added. "I was very confident that we need 13 runs and I have to middle only two balls. The four to third-man boundary off an edge from (Mohammad) A..f's bat gave us a feeling that maybe luck is on our side. Then I hit a six at the start of the last over," recalled the former Pakistan captain. Pakistan needed only six runs from four balls and Misbah attempted a high-risk scoop shot over the fine-lg and S Sreesanth grabbed the catch of Joginder Sharma's delivery. "It is like that, cricket is like that. When you have just one wicket left, then the bowling side is ahead in the game because you have to make just one mistake, out, and game over," he concluded.
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