'I asked Dhoni is it time for us to charge, he replied 'yes' and I hit two sixes to Afridi' - Irfan Pathan reflects on 2007 T20 WC Pakistan clash

India has had a clear-cut upper hand against Pakistan in the World Cups. Whenever the two teams lock horns with each other in the ICC events the cricketing fraternity is all excited to watch the action unfold. The former India cricketer and commentator Irfan Pathan who was a part of one of the nail-biting contests between India and Pakistan has opened up on his experience.

Of all the matches between the two nations, the 2007 T20 World Cup game that was tied and went on for a bowl out is arguably one of the most intriguing contests. India was put to bat first and lost both their openers quite early on. However, Robin Uthappa alongside MS Dhoni stitched in a good partnership.

After Uthappa lost his wicket to Sohail Tanvir, Irfan Pathan chime in the scenario. He stood with Dhoni on the crease and has now revealed the conversations between them. He stated that Dhoni asked him to go for big shots and that is when Pathan hit Afridi for two sixes.

“I remember when Shahid Afridi came to bowl, I asked him (Dhoni) what he was thinking, is it time for one of us to charge now. He replied, “You go for it.” So I hit Shahid Afridi for two consecutive sixes and later got out to him. We managed to reach a respectable score. When the chase began, the match was going up and down, it was a see-saw game,” Pathan wrote in his column for Indian Express.

All that hard work paid off: Irfan Pathan

When the match was tied, it was left to the bowl out to decide which team will secure victory. The Indian skipper went with Sehwag, Uthappa, and Harbhajan Singh for the bowl out. All of the three hit the stumps as India won the bowl out 3-0. Pathan stated how the team had prepared for it during their practice session and that the hard work paid off.

“Before that Pakistan game, we were given ground to practice in Durban. I remember after the practice there we had a stump that was made of small bricks. Like we have in gully cricket. Everyone was asked to do target practice and we not only had to hit the brick stumps but also make it fall. All that hard work paid off,” Pathan further wrote.