6 years ago: Reliving India's T20 World Cup triumph

The Indian Team celebrate their win with Misbah-ul-Haq looking on after the Twenty20 Championship Final match between Pakistan and India at The Wanderers Stadium on September 24, 2007

After having one of the worst nightmares in the form of the 50-over World Cup in 2007, the Indian Cricket Team had a golden chance of silencing its critics six months later. The 9th edition of the ICC World Cup was held in West Indies in March-April, 2007. The other teams in India’s group were Bangladesh, Bermuda and Sri Lanka, and there was no need for the fans to think twice whether India would reach the next stage or not.

But what happened next was totally unexpected and unbelievable. India made an early exit from the tournament after winning just one match in the group stage and that too against Bermuda. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka handed defeated India easily. Fans were disappointed and at the same time angry, and the players faced harsh criticism.

But no matter what, emotional Indian fans would never stop supporting their team. And then came the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup which was hosted by South Africa in September. It was a young Indian side because the seniors, as they said, dropped themselves to give the new players a chance.

There were 3 teams in each group and this time India got its arch rival Pakistan, along with Scotland. India’s first match against Scotland was abandoned due to rain. Then the world witnessed an epic match between India and Pakistan which will be remembered for a long time to come. Chasing a target of 141 set by India, Pakistan also ended up with the same score and the match had to be decided through a first of its kind bowl-out, which India won 3-0.

India cleared the group stage to enter the Super Eight where it had to face tough opponents like New Zealand, England and South Africa. In order to qualify for the semi-finals, a team needed to register two wins from three matches and India lost its first Super Eight match to New Zealand. Now, India had to win every match to progress in the tournament.

On 19th September, India faced England. This match can be tagged as the most entertaining match of all time. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir scored quickly as they put up 136 runs for the opening stand. But the first name that comes to mind when this match is discussed was still to come; Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj not only scored the fastest fifty in an official T20 international, but also became the fourth cricketer in all official forms of cricket (and the first in T20) to hit 6 sixes in an over.

Yuvraj Singh slammed 6 sixes off England’s Stuart Broad at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban

Stuart Broad was the unlucky bowler. A few exchanged words between Andrew Flintoff and Yuvraj were also seen prior to the 36-run over.  India (218-4) defeated England (200-6) by 18 runs as South Africa awaited the men in blue.

The in-form team of South Africa was seen as a threat to India advancing in the tournament. But a comfortable 37-run win by India ensured that they had a place in the semi finals. Posting a total of 153 runs batting first, India’s Rohit Sharma, making his debut, top scored with an unbeaten 50 of 40 balls. RP Singh made sure that South African batsmen reached nowhere close to the target as he picked up 4 wickets for just 13 runs in his 4 overs.

India had entered the semi-finals and a thrilling contest was lined up as they faced Australia. There was nervousness all around. But once again, with the heroics of Yuvraj Singh, India posted a huge total of 188 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. Yuvraj made 70 runs from just 30 balls which included 5 fours and 5 sixes. He also hit the longest six of the tournament (119 m) off Brett Lee’s bowling.

India had given the Aussies a tough target, but they could not take a team with the likes of Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds lightly. The pick of the Indian bowlers was S. Sreesanth who sent both the openers back to the pavilion in a similar fashion. He broke Gilchrist’s stumps, who managed only 22 runs and later did the same to Hayden (62).

Andrew Symonds then tried to put up a fight by scoring a quick-fire 43 runs off 26 balls but was removed by Irfan Pathan. The target was looking more and more daunting for the Aussies. And by the end, the Indians were celebrating when 20 runs were needed off the last ball. Harbhajan Singh was even seen doing bhangra on the boundary line. India advanced to the final of the T20 World Cup at the expense of Australia, winning by 15 runs.