Happy Birthday MS Dhoni: Exclusive: Dhoni is a mentally strong person and captain: Joginder Sharma

Bengaluru, July 7: Some are destined to be part of history. Joginder Sharma's moment came nearly 13 years ago in an edgy evening at the distant Johannesburg. It was the day when a young India team led by MS Dhoni, who is celebrating his 39th birthday on Tuesday (July 7) played Pakistan in the final of the ICC World T20 at the Wanderers.

Going in to the last over, India had to defend 13 runs and with Misbah-ul-Haq in flow Pakistan appeared to be gaining control of the situation despite one wicket in hand. Harbhajan Singh, whom Misbah had hammered for three sixes in the 17th over, had one over left, but Dhoni baffled everyone giving the big responsibility to rookie pacer Joginder Sharma.

"I could not believe at first when Dhoni bhai told me to bowl the last over. He told me: 'Don't worry, just keep the line and see what the batsman is doing.' And despite that I started with a wide and there were nerves all around. Here, we are playing Pakistan in a big final and I am bowling the final over with lot of people watching across the world. Then in the second ball, Misbah hammered a six (Joginder bowled a full toss outside off-stump) and I will be lying if I say, there is no tension. We all felt it," Joginder, now an officer with the Haryana Police, told MyKhel.

"Dhoni again just told: 'Don't give him width just hold your line' and luckily I was able to do that," said Joginder. Misbah went for a scoop off me over square leg but could not time the shot well as there was not much room for a free swing of the bat. Ball was in the air for a long time and we were not breathing till Sreesanth held on to the ball," he said.

It was a world title for India after the 1983 World Cup, a yawning gap of 24 years. It became all the more significant that the triumph was achieved by a team of youngsters who all played big roles in several of India's wins in the subsequent years.

"We came to the tournament with a lot of young players as seniors like Sachin paaji, Rahul bhai and Sourav bhai did not play the tournament. And the T20 format itself was very new at that time. Everyone was opening up to the T20 and perhaps, there were not too much expectations on us. It took us a while to believe that we are actually the world champions.

"Dhoni's captaincy was brilliant. He is mentally very strong and take decisions quickly on the field. Later, I played for Chennai Super Kings under him too in the IPL. He always backed you as captain and gave the freedom to make your own plan and Dhoni intervened only when it was absolutely necessary. I hope we can see him playing some more for India and in the IPL," he added.

The 36-year-old Joginder Sharma retired from all forms of cricket in 2016. He played four T20Is, the final against Pakistan incidentally his last T20I too, and as many ODIs for India, all in 2007, though played first-class cricket for Haryana for another decade.

At present, Joginder is engaged in the fight against Coronavirus with the Haryana Police. "It was also a big thing, winning the World Cup for India, but here we have to save the nation. And even if I am playing a small part in this, then it is huge," Joginder was quoted as saying by the AFP.