[Watch] Throwback to when Team India upstaged Pakistan in a bowl-out in the T20 World Cup 2007
Remember the bowl-out being used as a tie-breaker before the Super Over? On this day in 2007, the most famous bowl-out took place when India defeated Pakistan in a tie-breaker in the inaugural T20 World Cup at Durban.
The high-octane match ended up being a low-scoring thriller, with Pakistan failing to score the one run they needed to win off the final two deliveries, resulting in the game ending in a tie. It meant that the bowl-out was used to determine the winner, with each team nominating five bowlers to throw down the stumps.
MS Dhoni chose Virender Sehwag with the first delivery, and the off-spinner hit the bull's eye. On the other hand, Pakistan's Yasir Arafat missed the off-stump with his attempt, giving India a 1-0 lead.
Similarly, Harbhajan Singh and Robin Uthappa knocked the stumps over with their delivery, while Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi missed their strikes, resulting in India winning the bowl-out 3-0.
Here is the video of the bowl-out with Team India delivering the knockout punch in the bowl-out:
The victory was believed to be the beginning of the MS Dhoni era in Indian cricket as the skipper achieved monumental heights, leading the side to three ICC titles.
In the main clash before the bowl-out, Robin Uthappa scored a scintillating 50 off 39 deliveries to guide India to a competitive 141/9 in their 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan was at the doorstep of victory thanks to a belligerent half-century by Misbah Ul Haq that ended with a last-ball runout.
With Scotland as the third team, both teams advanced from Group D to the Super Eights.
Team India defeated Pakistan in the final to be crowned the 2007 World T20 Champions
A young Indian side, led by the astute captaincy of MS Dhoni, stunned the world by winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Despite the bowl-out win against Pakistan, the Men in Blue suffered a close defeat in their first game of the Super Eight stage against New Zealand.
Having to win their next two games to qualify for the semi-final, Team India, propelled by the famous 12-ball 50 by Yuvraj Singh that included six 6s in an over off Stuart Broad, overcame England to stay alive in the tournament.
However, their subsequent win against hosts and favorites South Africa by 37 runs was the turning point that instilled the belief that the side was onto something special.
While qualifying for the semi-final from a seemingly improbable situation felt like an achievement, Team India wasn't done yet. They dethroned three-time defending ODI World Champions Australia in a humdinger of a semi-final by 15 runs to set up a dream finale against Pakistan.
In another memorable India-Pakistan battle in the summit clash, the Men in Blue pulled off a last-ball victory by five wickets in a moment that lives on among Indian fans to date. Team India accomplished one of the best underdog stories by upstaging the more fancied sides to be crowned the first T20 World Champions.
It also kickstarted the rise to unmatched fame for skipper MS Dhoni as arguably the best white-ball ever, as he led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup title and the 2013 Champions Trophy victory.