On September 14, 2007 came one of the finest moments for India in a T20 World Cup game. India beat Pakistan in a group stage match at the Durban via a bowl-out. India were batting first and were in early
trouble losing Sehwag, Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh early as India were reduced to 19/3. Robin Uthappa came to the middle and made a very good half-century to help India consolidate. The later fireworks from Dhoni and Irfan Pathan meant India reached a score of 141/9 in the first innings. It was a below par score on that surface. Indian bowlers started well picking up the early wicket of Imran Nazir but Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal formed a partnership. India bounced back by picking up a couple of wickets and Kamran Akmal was run out by Yuvraj Singh as Pakistan slipped from 44/1 to 47/4. Misbah ul Haq looked in fine touch as he scored a half century.
But wickets kept falling from the other end which kept India in the game. The required rate kept climbing and Pakistan needed 29 runs from the last two overs. It looked a stiff task but Misbah and Arafat smashed 17 runs to Agarkar as Pakistan needed 12 runs in the last over. Sreesanth conceded a couple of boundaries and the equation came down to 1 run needed of 2 balls. Surely at this stage with Misbah on strike Pakistan thought they have clinched the game. Then came a twist as Misbah got beaten trying to cut a bowl and the equation was 1 runs of 1 ball as the field came up.
In the final ball, Misbah hit it straight to cover and attempted the run only to get run-out at the bowler’s end. The match was tied and the winner was set to be decided via a bowl out. Each team will nominate fie players who will bowl to a set of stumps from 22 yards and the ball has to hit the stumps. Each team will alternate attempts and the team with most attempts win. Malik won the toss and asked India to have a go first. Watch the bowl out video here.
Round 1- Sehwag comes in and hits the stumps, India went 1-0 and from Pakistan Arafat bowls a ful toss and misses it.
Round 2- Harbhajan bowls and hits as India went 2-0 up. From Pakistan, Umar Gul ran in and missed the stumps.
Round 3- Robin Uthappa bowled and hit the stump as India went 3-0 up and Pakistan had to hit this to stay alive. Afridi came into bowl and he missed it as India won the bowl-out 3-0.
