Former Pakistani batter Misbah-ul-Haq seemed poised to lead Pakistan to a historic victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup final against India. Despite his valiant 43-run effort, Pakistan fell short by five runs while chasing a target of 158.
Recalling the narrow defeat, Misbah recently reflected on how Pakistan’s confidence soared after restricting India to 157/7 in 20 overs. He noted that the shorter boundaries at the Wanderers Stadium posed a challenge for India’s spin-reliant bowling attack, particularly for their key spinner, Harbhajan Singh.
Speaking to Star Sports, Misbah-ul-Haq shared:
“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. 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.”
Overconfidence and Early Wickets
Misbah admitted that overconfidence played a significant role in Pakistan’s defeat. He also pointed out that losing wickets at regular intervals put them under immense 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. Mujhe lagta hai overconfident ho ke hi kaam kharab hua (I think things went bad because of overconfidence).”
The Final Over Drama
Despite minimal support from his teammates, Misbah kept Pakistan’s hopes alive. The equation boiled down to 20 runs off the last two overs. Misbah, confident in his ability, aimed to guide his team to victory. However, a risky scoop shot in the final over resulted in him being caught by S Sreesanth, sealing India’s victory as the first-ever T20 World Cup champions.
“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) Asif’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.”
Misbah highlighted the precarious nature of their situation with only one wicket in hand:
“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.”
Player of the Match
Irfan Pathan was named the Player of the Match for his remarkable performance, registering figures of 4-0-16-3, which played a crucial role in India’s victory.
Misbah’s recount of the match serves as a poignant reminder of how overconfidence and critical moments can sway the outcome of a high-stakes game.
