Rohit Sharma recalls how Yuvraj thought Sreesanth would drop crucial catch in 2007 final

Indian vice-captain Rohit Sharma recalled the last delivery of the final match of the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup, where India beat Pakistan to win its maiden title. Rohit revealed that the former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was not watching the ball that went high up after Pakistan batter Misbah Ul-Haq tried to scoop it towards the short fine-leg because he thought Sreesanth would drop the decisive catch. Rohit said Yuvraj turned around the other side as he was scared that Sreesanth would drop the catch. 

“I was standing at covers for that particular ball. Joginder (Sharma) was running. Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) was at point. I saw Yuvi because you can see from your peripheral vision. I saw Yuvi and Sreeshant both because short-fine and point are there, so you could see that. The moment Misbah played that shot, I saw Yuvi turning around because he didn't want to watch or he was expecting that Sreesanth was going to drop it," Rohit said in a video shared by ICC.

I don't know what was going through his mind but it was my first World Cup and I didn't know the feeling of winning it, especially against Pakistan. I was just hoping that just catch it and I saw, he didn't have to move too much. He just took two-three steps back and he just took the catch. I watched it but I saw Yuvi turning around and he was watching the other side of it because he thought Sreesanth was going to drop it," Rohit added. 

2007 T20 World Cup final

Sreesanth eventually took the catch at short fine-leg and India beat Pakistan by 5 runs to win the first edition of the marquee ICC event. Batting first, India had posted a total of 157 runs on the board courtesy of some brilliant batting performances by Gautam Gambhir (75 off 54 balls) and Rohit Sharma, who scored 30 off 16 balls with a strike rate of 187. In reply, Pakistan was bowled out for 152 runs. Irfan Pathan was adjudged the player for picking 3 wickets in 4 overs. 

Image: PTI/T20WorldCup