By IANS
Johannesburg : Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni lauded medium pacer Joginder Sharma, who picked up the prized wicket of Misbah-ul-Haq in the last over to help India win the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship here Monday.
“Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh) was not 100 percent sure of getting yorkers in the death overs. I thought I should throw the ball to someone who really wants to do well in international cricket. Joginder did a really good job,” Dhoni said after the match.
It was so close yet so far for the Pakistan team as they needed 13 runs from the last over to win the match. Dhoni handed over the ball to Sharma, whose first delivery was a wide and the target was reduced to 12 off five deliveries. In the second ball Misbah hit Sharma for a huge six, and Pakistan needed only six runs from the remaining four deliveries.
Off Sharma’s third ball, Misbah tried a scoop shot over short-fine leg, where Sreesanth took an easy catch to seal the match in India’s favour. Pakistan were all out for 152 in 19.3 overs in reply to India’s 157 for five and Sharma picked up two wickets for 20.
“It is one of the things I will treasure for the rest of my life. I’d like to congratulate the boys and thank them for the response they have given me,” said Dhoni, for whom the Twenty20 World Championship was his first assignment as captain.
“No one expected us to win and the way we played today we deserve a big celebration. Pakistan bowled really well today in the second half. But we knew we had runs on the board and we could bring some pressure on the batsmen,” he added.
The win also brought in huge cash rewards for the Indian team as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a bonus of $2 million (about Rs. 80 million) for the team, and a bonus of Rs. 10 million to Yuvraj Singh for his achievement of hitting six sixes in one over against England.