MIND MAKETH THE MAN

This was the T20 World Cup final, 2007. When Misbah-ul-Haq hit a towering straight six off Joginder Sharma in the second ball of the last over, Pakistan looked nearly home. Six needed of fours balls. On air, Ravi Shastri said: ‘Pakistan are just a hit away from becoming world champions.’ Co-commentator Ramiz Raja was gushing about Misbah and could barely restrain his excitement. Shastri had already asked if Dhoni should have gone for Harbhajan (Singh) instead to bowl that last over, for casting the inexperienced Joginder in that role seemed to fly in the face of cricketing logic. Joginder’s first ball, a 10 feet wide, only added to the alarm. Dhoni ran up to his charge, for a third time in the over, whispered into his ears and returned behind the stumps. The next ball was bowled full on the middle stump. Misbah scooped it into the gleeful hands of Sreesanth at short fine leg. The stadium erupted, India erupted, and the legend of visionary captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, already