September 24 is remembered as a landmark day in Indian cricket, marking the 18th anniversary of India’s iconic victory at the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa. Led by a young Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India defied the odds and silenced skeptics with a determined campaign that climaxed in a thrilling triumph over Pakistan in Johannesburg.
With stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly sitting out the tournament, and pacer Zaheer Khan rested due to workload concerns, few expected Dhoni’s squad to make a mark in the unfamiliar T20 format. India had played just one T20I before the World Cup, but what followed became cricketing history.
Dhoni’s shrewd captaincy brought composure to a young and inexperienced squad, while minimal external pressure allowed players like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, RP Singh, and S Sreesanth to play freely and express themselves.
#OnThisDay India defeated Pakistan in a thrilling final to win the first edition of the #T20WorldCup 🏆
Some outstanding performances from @GautamGambhir and @captainmisbahpk saw the match decided by just five runs! pic.twitter.com/TAXx3skjrh
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) September 24, 2019
They showcased aggressive cricket, overcoming England, South Africa, and the formidable Australians in the semifinals, setting up a much-anticipated rematch against their arch-rivals at the Wanderers Stadium. The thrilling final against Pakistan put India’s courage and composure to the ultimate test. Electing to bat first, Dhoni’s side struggled early after losing their star opener Sehwag to injury.
#OnThisDay (2007): India wins the inaugural World T20 by 5 runs over Pakistan in front of 32,217 fans in Johannesburg. pic.twitter.com/cCOS7RRlO8
— ICC (@ICC) September 24, 2017
Gambhir’s 75 and Rohit’s cameo guide India to 157/5 against Pakistan
India kept losing wickets at frequent intervals, including the in-form six-hitter Yuvraj Singh, who fell for 14. A resilient 75-run innings off 54 balls by Gautam Gambhir steadied the team against a strong Pakistan bowling attack, while a brisk cameo of 30* from Rohit Sharma helped India post a competitive total of 157/5 in 20 overs. Umar Gul starred for Pakistan, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 28.
Pakistan got off to a shaky start in their chase. Opener Imran Nazir’s quickfire 33 off 14 balls offered some momentum, but wickets kept falling at the other end. Younis Khan’s cautious 24 off 24 deliveries left Pakistan lagging behind the required rate, and they soon found themselves struggling at 6 for 77.
With RP Singh (3/26) and Irfan Pathan (3/16) dominating the attack, Pakistan needed a hero. Enter the fearless Misbah-Ul-Haq, who turned the tide with a blistering 17th over, launching three sixes off Harbhajan Singh. Misbah received crucial support from Yasir Arafat (15) and Sohail Tanvir (12), who hit two sixes off Sreesanth in the 18th over before being dismissed.
With 13 needed off 6 balls and only No.11 Mohammad Asif left, Misbah took most of the strike. Joginder Sharma, under pressure, bowled a wide first ball and then conceded a six, bringing the equation to 6 off 4. Misbah’s attempted lap shot off the next delivery was mishit to Sreesanth, sealing a historic Indian victory that changed T20 cricket forever.
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