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OTD in 2007 | MS Dhoni's Young Brigade Beat Pakistan To Become World T20 Champions

image-lmwxguqgMS Dhoni led India to World Cup victory in his first assignment as captain (Twitter)

On this day 16 years ago, the cricketing community stood still to witness one of the most fascinating finals ever seen in the history of ICC tournaments. 

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan locked horns in what can only be described as a roller-coaster ride full of twists and turns in Johannesburg, marking the final of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.


Misbah's scoop, Sreesanth's catch: The moment that sealed India's fate

With no domestic T20 setup to speak of, the relatively young and inexperienced Indian side, led by the newly appointed MS Dhoni, astounded cricket pundits by reaching the semi-finals. After trumping a strong Australian team in the semi-final, they faced off against Pakistan in a final that lived up to its reputation.

Having won the toss, India chose to bat first. They were momentarily rocked by early wickets, with both Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa departing within the first six overs. However, the steady and composed Gautam Gambhir, who scored a match-defining 54-ball-75 along with a swashbuckling Rohit Sharma (30 off 16 balls), steered India to a competitive total of 157.

Pakistan's chase seemed plagued from the start, with wickets tumbling consistently. Yet, the ever-resilient Misbah-ul-Haq breathed life into the game, smacking three colossal sixes off Harbhajan Singh, ensuring the contest went down to the wire.

As the heartbeats of a billion Indians raced, with Pakistan needing just 13 runs from the final over, the then-raw captain Dhoni took an audacious decision to hand the ball to the greenhorn Joginder Sharma.

The second ball was dispatched into the stands by Misbah, making Pakistan fans jump in jubilation. But in a dramatic turn of events, Misbah's attempt to finish with a flourish resulted in him scooping the ball straight to Sreesanth at short fine leg. 

Against all odds, a young Indian team led by Dhoni had roared to victory, clinching the maiden T20 World Cup by just five runs.

As we reminisce about this historic win, it's essential to appreciate how this victory changed the narrative of Indian cricket. It paved the way for the Indian Premier League and made T20 cricket a household spectacle. Even after 16 years, the echoes of that victory resonate as if it unfolded just yesterday.