ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2007: India Beat Pakistan in the First T20 World Cup Final
The first ICC Men's T20 World Cup was held in South Africa from 11 to 24 September 2007. India, captained by MS Dhoni, defeated Pakistan by 5 runs in the final at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on 24 September 2007. India scored 157/5; Pakistan finished on 152/5. Joginder Sharma bowled the last over — needing 13 to win — dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq with a scoop that was caught at short fine leg. Yuvraj Singh hit Stuart Broad for 6 sixes in one over in the semi-final. India were the first T20 World Cup champions.
The first ICC Men's T20 World Cup was held in South Africa from 11 to 24 September 2007. India entered the tournament having never played a T20 international; the format was new to their senior players. MS Dhoni, 26 years old, was appointed captain for the tournament. Twelve teams competed across four groups. The format was unfamiliar to most national sides, making it a level playing field.
Yuvraj Singh's 6 Sixes: The Iconic Semi-Final Over
In India's Super 8 match against England at Kingsmead, Durban on 19 September 2007, Yuvraj Singh hit Stuart Broad for six consecutive sixes in the 19th over — 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 — completing the over for 36 runs. The over was sparked by an argument with Andrew Flintoff, who had sledged Yuvraj. Yuvraj then scored 58 from 16 balls, the fastest T20I fifty at the time. The innings became one of the most replayed moments in T20 cricket history. India won the Super 8 match by 18 runs.
The Final: Joginder Sharma's Last Over
In the final at the Wanderers, Johannesburg on 24 September 2007, India scored 157/5 from 20 overs. Gautam Gambhir scored 75 and captain Dhoni contributed 6 from 10 balls in a cameo. Pakistan, chasing 158, needed 13 from the last over with Misbah-ul-Haq (43* off 38 balls) at the crease. Dhoni gave the ball to Joginder Sharma — a relatively inexperienced pacer — for the final over. Sharma's second delivery was a wide, reducing the requirement. Then Misbah attempted a scoop over short fine leg and was caught by Sreesanth. Pakistan were 152/5; India won by 5 runs. The Misbah scoop dismissal became one of the most iconic moments in T20 cricket history.
India's Debut at T20I and Dhoni's Leadership
India had refused to commit to the T20 format in the year prior to the tournament, with Sachin Tendulkar and senior players declining to participate. The 2007 tournament was assigned to a younger squad without the senior heavyweights — no Tendulkar, no Sourav Ganguly. Dhoni, Sehwag, Yuvraj, Robin Uthappa, and Rohit Sharma (in his first major international tournament) formed the core. The tournament was also notable as the first major international cricket event broadcast live on YouTube (a digital distribution first for the ICC).
Frequently asked questions
How did MS Dhoni's decision to give Joginder Sharma the final over (rather than Harbhajan, Zaheer, or Irfan Pathan) analytically represent the tactical innovation of unconventional last-over selection in T20 cricket, and what does the Misbah dismissal reveal about the structural weakness of the scoop shot against a slower ball bowler?
Dhoni's last-over selection of Joginder Sharma over experienced options (Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan) is one of the most analysed captaincy decisions in T20 cricket. The analytical framework: Pakistan needed 13 from the last over. Misbah was 43 not out from 38 balls — he had been rotating strike but could hit the ball out of the ground. The conventional choice would be Harbhajan (experience, off-spin, can be difficult to hit against even when batter is set) or Zaheer (reverse swing, death bowling experience). Dhoni's logic, articulated post-match: he wanted to bowl someone Pakistan would not have faced before in a pressure situation, making it harder for Misbah to pre-plan shots; Sharma's pace (mid-80s mph, fairly straight) would not give Misbah the pace to use. The Misbah scoop failure: the scoop is the highest-risk shot in T20 cricket against medium-pace bowling because it requires precise placement over fine leg with a very small gap; if the timing is marginally off or the ball is fuller than expected, the deflection takes it to short fine leg (where Sreesanth was positioned). Dhoni had set short fine leg specifically for the scoop, anticipating Misbah's response to a leg-side delivery. The field setting and the shot selection interacted exactly as Dhoni had planned. The analytical conclusion: Dhoni's final-over selection was an unconventional risk that succeeded; the Misbah dismissal was a pre-planned trap that worked. Together, they represent the two dimensions of advanced T20 captaincy — field setting anticipation and bowler selection psychology — that Dhoni would deploy throughout a career that came to be defined by these moments.