‘Pakistan had no idea what to do’ - Irfan Pathan on India's 2007 T20 World Cup bowl-out clash

India’s Group D match against Pakistan in the 2007 T20 World Cup was MS Dhoni’s first as the skipper of the national team and he could easily have ended on the losing side. The scores were tied at 141 after the mandatory 20 overs and then happened the epic bowl-out at the Kingsmead in Durban. Thereafter, in the bowl-out, the Men in Blue wrapped things up 3-0.

None of the Pakistan bowlers could hit even as from India, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Robin Uthappa managed to smash the timber. Going down the memory lane, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who was a part of the encounter, said how Pakistan looked hapless and went into the bowl-out without a concrete plan.

Pakistan had no idea, says Pathan  

“Pakistan captain (Shoaib Malik) even accepted this in the press conference that we didn’t know what to do. That’s why when the time came for a bowl out, they had no idea whether to bowl from full run-up or half run-up,” Pathan was quoted as saying on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected.

Earlier, Uthappa, who also a scored a 39-ball 50 in the match, said how Dhoni stood behind the stumps and helped the Indian bowlers hit the target.

“By looking at Pakistan’s performance in the bowl-out, you can tell that they had not practiced it. One of the things MS did differently from Pakistan wicketkeeper (Kamran Akmal) was that the Pakistan keeper stood where normally a wicketkeeper would stand – alongside the stumps, and not behind the stumps,” Uthappa had said.

“MS was right behind the stumps. It just made it easier because we felt we just need to bowl to MS, and we will give ourselves best chances of hitting the stumps. That’s what we did,” he added.

Pakistan had the odds in their favour as Misbah-ul-Haq was in the middle with the team needing one run off the last couple of deliveries. The veteran was batting on 53 and was looking in great rhythm. However, after playing and missing the penultimate ball, he got run-out in the last ball at the non-striker’s end. Meanwhile, Dhoni started his captaincy stint on an auspicious note.