Former Pakistan cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq recently revisited a defining moment in his career – his attempted scoop shot that resulted in his dismissal during the final of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 against India. The ill-fated shot occurred when Pakistan needed six runs from four balls with only one wicket remaining.
Despite having executed four impressive sixes using traditional cricketing shots, Misbah opted for a cheeky scoop shot. Indian fielder S. Sreesanth caught the important catch at the fine leg, leading to exuberant celebrations from the Indian team.
In a candid conversation with his former teammate Shoaib Malik on the show “Master Class with Malik,” Misbah reflected on the shot selection. He defended his decision, stating, “People always told me that was a wrong option. Okay, pace was not there, that I get it. But it was a wrong execution. If you see the video again, you can notice that I was cramped for room and that’s why it ballooned up in the air. If I could have reached the ball, I could have easily cleared that fine leg fielder.”
Despite Misbah’s wicket, his performance was commendable, especially in the final when Pakistan was struggling at 77/6 in response to India’s 157. Misbah’s resilient batting yielded a brilliant 43 runs from 38 balls, bringing his team within touching distance of victory.
Throughout the tournament, Misbah emerged as one of the standout performers. He concluded as the third-highest run-scorer, amassing 218 runs at an impressive average of 54.50 and a striking strike rate of nearly 140.