Sidharth Monga, in ESPNcricinfo.com where the title is “A reputation staked on bold decisions, Dhoni makes one more”
There is a great little story, almost confirmed, but better off without a final confirmation, about India’s – perhaps the world’s – best limited-overs captain. In the 2007 World T20 final, when MS Dhoni asked Joginder Sharma to bowl the final over ahead of Harbhajan Singh, he told this domestic workhorse something. It was either at the start of the over, when Pakistan needed 13 to win, or after the six by Misbah-Ul-Haq, which left them needing six runs off four balls.
In the high-pressure final, against the great rivals Pakistan, having given up a winning position in a match India originally had no business winning, amid blaring music, this man, in his first tournament as an international captain, told Joginder, two years younger to him: “You have bowled so many overs in domestic cricket with so much dedication, when no one is watching. Don’t worry, cricket won’t let you down now.”
Dhoni’s last-over call to have Joginder Sharma bowl to Misbah-Ul-Haq with a World T20 title on the line is one of many calculated risks that paid off during his captaincy reign © Getty Images Continue reading
