Harbhajan Singh Admits 'Pressure Increased' After Misbah-ul-Haq Slammed 3 Sixes In 2007 T20 World Cup Final

India won the 2007 T20 World Cup final by five runs against arch-rivals Pakistan but it was a match to forget in a hurry personally for veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh. He bowled three overs in the final clash conceding 36 runs at an economy rate of 12 runs per over and remained wicketless to make it worse.

Premier Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq, whose miscued paddle scoop won the game for India also in particular targeted Harbhajan Singh towards the death as it was one of his worst over in the shortest format. In the 17th over, Singh started with a wide and then returned to bowl cleverly. But Misbah-ul-Haq put his foot on the paddle and hit him for a six in the second, fifth and final ball off the over as Harbhajan Singh gave away 19 runs in the over.

Harbhajan Singh: after I was hit for a six, the pressure kept increasing

“Because after I was hit for a six, the pressure kept increasing. Rather than thinking what to do next, I was rushing through my deliveries. I wanted to just finish that over and feel, Chalo, ho gaya mera [I’ve finished my job],” Harbhajan Singh told The Cricket Monthly.

“Take that over where Misbah [-ul-Haq] went after me. Okay, anybody can be hit for a six or two sixes or three sixes, but was my process correct? Many times we [bowlers] are ourselves so scared about being hit, we send the batsman the message that we are on the back foot,” the veteran spinner added.

Incidentally, the sixes conceded to Misbah-ul-Haq in the 17th over, were the only ones Harbhajan gave away in the entire match.