India's exit from the 2007 World Cup was no less than a nightmare and perhaps after that the people of the whole of India lost faith in cricket somewhere. Despite the greats like Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh, India was not able to go beyond the first stage, it was very surprising. I was very young at the time of India's 2001 Test series on Australia, but when Rahul Dravid's double century kept India level in the series in Australia, my interest in cricket increased much more. Cricket was probably going through a very brilliant phase at the time where team like Australia were waving their flags.
Australia’s defeat in the 2005 Ashes and Cardiff against Bangladesh had signaled the wind of a new era somewhere. But Ricky Ponting’s Australia team retained its reign by winning the 2007 World Cup for the third time in a row. A team can be so dangerous, this Ricky Ponting team showed the world in 2003 and 2007 World Cups. Many people were furious with India’s defeat, the team that played the final of the 2003 World Cup was out of the first leg of 2007, after so many legends, was it the end of cricket in India? In the meantime, there comes news of the beginning of the first T20 World Cup which will be played in South Africa. Maybe no one was ready and most of the strings had no idea of this cricket.
I was in my school days and this used to be the discussion that one should stop watching cricket in India now. Change is the rule of nature and perhaps the time was the same, India’s team went to play the T20 World Cup without their legends and everyone thought that they would come back with a ruse. Seeing the team that India sent, it seemed that it would hardly be able to cross the first stage.
Also Read | 2007 T20 World Cup - When Yuvraj Singh Went Berserk and hit six sixes
12 teams were placed in 4 groups India, Pakistan and Scotland were part of one group. The match between India and Scotland was canceled due to rain and Pakistan qualified for the Super Eights, due to this match, everything now finally depended on the match between India and Pakistan, which India won and made its place in the Super Eights. I still remember that India's hopes were almost dead after losing their Super Eight match at the hands of New Zealand where there were still matches against South Africa and England. But the match between India and England changed everything, where Yuvraj Singh's six sixes with Dhoni's stormy strokes were winning the hearts of everyone.
By the way, India reached the semi-finals where it was facing Australia, which was going to be a one-sided match, there was no question of India winning the match with Hayden, Gilchrist, Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson. Batting first, India scored 188 runs in their allotted 20 overs, which included an innings of 70 runs by Yuvraj Singh. This target was not big for Australia but Sreesanth bowled the best of his career that day and took 2 for 12 against Gilchrist and Hayden (In which Hayden's wicket turned the match towards India). I couldn't believe that India had kicked Australia out of the tournament and don't know why Ricky Ponting didn't play that day. This win was bigger than the final.
Also Read | NatWest Final 2002 – When Team India Snatch The Victory From Jaws Of Defeat
