Indian opener batsman Robin Uthappa thinks that MS Dhoni and the then bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad are the guys behind India’s victory over Pakistan in the bowl-out in the league stage of 2007 T20 World Cup.
Uthappa was talking to Ish Sodhi in a Rajasthan Royals Podcast. He said that the bowling coach was very attentive to the new rules and hence he used to organise a separate bowl out practice session. The session was intensified since Vankatesh Prasad divided the squad into two teams of ‘batsman vs Bowlers’.
Robin Uthappa, recalling the close ended thriller said that we had reached very close to lose first ever world Cup to the Pakistan but Yuvi’s throw to Sreesanth had changed the game.
“..Sri bowled a really really good last over and that the run out happed in the last bowl. Suddenly the moment was reversed and they end up losing the game,” said Uthappa in the podcast.
MS Dhoni made it easier for us
Speaking further he said Dhoni has played a very important role by standing just behind the wicket unlike Pakistani wicket-keeper.
One of the things that MS [Dhoni] did really well, and that he did differently from what the Pakistan ‘keeper did was, where he stood behind the stumps.”
“The Pakistan keeper (Kamran Akmal) was standing where a wicketkeeper would normally stand. But MS was right behind the stumps and that just made it so much easier for us. We just had to bowl at MS and it gave us the best chance to hit the wickets. That’s what we did,” added Uthappa.
He also recalled that when it was confirmed that the winner will be decided by a bowl-out competition, he walked upto MS Dhoni and asked him to bowl. MS Dhoni replied positively and then we won it by 3-0, concluded the opener who made a 50 off 39 balls in the match.
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