Munaf Patel's 3 best moments in international cricket

Wishes poured in from the cricketing fraternity as Munaf Patel celebrates his 40th birthday on Wednesday (July 12). Born in the small town of Ikhar in Gujarat, the Patel went on represent the Indian team in all three formats of the game.

Munaf Patel burst into the scene in 2003 as he was picked by the Mumbai Ranji side after strong backing by Sachin Tendulkar. Patel gained prominence for being one of the fastest bowlers in the domestic circuit, with his accurate line and length only adding to his potency. An important member of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad, last played for the national side during India's 2011 tour of England.

In his domestic career, he played for four teams, namely - Gujarat, Baroda, Mumbai and Maharashtra. He represented the Rajasthan Royals (2008-2010), Mumbai Indians (2011-2013) and the Gujarat Lions (2017) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was part of the MI side that won the title in 2013.

In a short yet, impactful career for the Indian Cricket Team, Patel delivered many memorable performances. On that note, let us take a look at Munaf Patel's 3 best moments in international cricket.

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#1 The 2011 World Cup win

Winning the World Cup is the pinnacle for a player in any sport. After being a part of the team that got knocked out in the group stages of the 2007 World Cup, Munaf Patel played a massive role in India's 2011 triumph. One of the unsung heroes, Patel picked up 11 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 5.36.

Patel bowled tidy spells in both the semi-final and the final that helped India emerge victorious in those crunch games. He conceded just 40 runs in 10 overs against Pakistan, picking up wickets of the dangerous Mohammad Hafeez and Abdul Razzaq.

The right-arm pacer was India's most economical bowler on a flat Wankhede pitch in the final as he gave away just 41 runs in nine overs at an economy rate of 4.55. All in all, one can easily conclude that Munaf Patel was one of MS Dhoni's crucial players during India's historic campaign.

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#2 India vs South Africa, 2nd ODI, 2011

Just before the 2011 World Cup, India toured South Africa. Chasing a target of 191, South Africa needed three runs with two wickets in hand and more than seven overs remaining. With the balance of the match clearly in favor of the hosts, Munaf Patel dismissed both Wayne Parnell and Morne Morkel to win the game for India.

In his eight-over spell, Patel conceded 29 runs at an economy rate of 3.62, and picked up four wickets. Apart from Morkel and Parnell, he dismissed the strong South African opening pair of Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith. The wicket of Smith (77) proved to be the crucial point of the match. He was awarded the Player of the Match (POTM) award for his quality exhibiting of fast bowling.

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#3 India vs England, 2006, Champions Trophy

Munaf Patel produced a world-class spell of pace bowling at Jaipur in October 2006. In eight overs, Patel conceded just 18 runs and picked up the important wickets of Ian Bell, Michael Yardy and Kevin Pietersen. He bowled at an excellent economy rate of 2.25.

India won the low-scoring game with more than 20 overs to spare. Patel was awarded the POTM award for his quality exhibition of fast bowling.