The T20 World Cup 2022 tournament will commence in Australia in 47 days. Sportstar will present one iconic moment/match from T20WC history each day, leading up to October 16, 2022.
September 20, 2007 T20 World Cup: Sharma fifty to India’s rescue
Indian captain M.S. Dhoni edged his first delivery inauspiciously towards third man. Rohit Sharma was a near non-entity for his first couple of overs. Somehow, both prospered in each other’s company and dragged India to a score of some respectability in the super-eight match against South Africa. This, after Shaun Pollock stung the top-order with his stinginess, and set things up for the other bowlers.
The South African bowling tightened as the innings progressed and Dhoni and Sharma had to resort to unorthodoxy. Dhoni ended a brief barren period with a full-circle swish that went for four over the keeper’s head. The captain had been unusually sedate throughout the tournament and needed something to break the shackles.
Bizarre period
In a bizarre period of play, Dhoni’s awkward shots miraculously found the most unusual of gaps, with the ones hit with intent finding the fielders. Sharma dumped elegance and went for clarity, maximising his efforts over mid-wicket .The sixes trickled in after the 16th over. van der Wath and Morkel weren’t so frugal towards the end, and runs came in at a quicker rate.
Dhoni’s run-out was effected in the last over, after Mark Boucher dropped an edge but Philander found the stumps, leaving the captain short of the crease. A huge six over mid-wicket took Sharma to his maiden international fifty and India past 150.
Prior to the partnership, India was in trouble upfront. The openers took a couple of overs to get going. Gautam Gambhir briefly deployed stealth and strength for his runs, sneaking one fine and pounding one through point for four.
He suffered from too much ambition, and miscued a heave to find Graeme Smith at mid-off. Deservedly, Shaun Pollock had got his man.
Dinesh Karthik, who had come in place of Yuvraj Singh (tendonitis in his left elbow) put his wrists through a great deal to find Albie Morkel at square-leg, making it two for Pollock.
Virender Sehwag showed promise, but was glued to the crease while caressing one outside off, with Boucher taking the catch. It was Makhaya Ntini’s first and only wicket.
Catch dropped
Robin Uthappa took a while before ravenously gorging on a short one from Johan van der Wath for the first six of the innings.
He was extremely lucky that Vernon Philander spilled one at mid-on off van der Wath, but found the more reliable Smith at mid-off later on, to the benefit of Morne Morkel.
Nearly 20,000 people had turned up for the match. The stadium was packed, with Indian flags outnumbering South African.
The only giveaway that the match was in South Africa, was the wicket.
(This article by Nandita Sridhar was first published in The Hindu on September 21, 2007)
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