"It is my most favourite match" - Sohail Tanvir on 2007 T20 World Cup final between India and Pakistan

Former Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir recently picked the 2007 T20 World Cup final against India as the most memorable match he has been a part of.

Tanvir suggested that while the Men in Green came second to India in the summit clash of the inaugural T20 World Cup, he thoroughly enjoyed the closely fought battle. Recalling the crucial tie, here's what he said on Nadir Ali's YouTube channel:

"Even though the result was not in our favour, it is my most favourite match. The pendulum swung many times in the game, which is a rarity. We were on top initially, then Gautam Gambhir played a good knock, and they added some crucial runs towards the back end as well. Imran Nazir changed the game in just two overs when we batted. We lost wickets at regular intervals after that."

Tanvir played an impactful cameo in the final, scoring 12 runs off just four balls. He spoke about how he was disheartened to see Misbah-ul-Haq deny a single when he walked out to bat, adding:

"When I went to bat, Harbhajan Singh was bowling, and I was at the non-striker's end. Misbah (ul-Haq) bhai (brother) hit him for a six, and the next ball went to deep midwicket, but he didn't take a single. I was very disheartened to see that. I knew that I can bat decently."

"Misbah was the only one in the team who knew me well, as he had played against me many times in domestic cricket. But when he hit two more sixes, I realized his plan. Being a right-handed batter, he wanted to take on the off-spinner. After the match, our chairman came to our dressing room. I was crying, and Misbah bhai was crying as well."

Misbah-ul-Haq's fighting 43-run knock eventually went in vain as he perished to Joginder Sharma in the final over. India successfully defended a 158-run target to clinch a famous five-run victory.

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"There is no difference in IPL and PSL" - Sohail Tanvir

Sohail Tanvir is among the few Pakistani cricketers to have played in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Comparing the cash-rich league to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he stated that there isn't much to differentiate between the two tournaments.

However, Tanvir stated that PSL teams have a much-better bowling attack, while the IPL teams have an edge in terms of batting. Tanvir said:

"Pakistan have better quality bowlers, while India are ahead in batting. This is not my personal take, but what I have heard from overseas players who have played in both countries. They find batting more difficult here because we have quality bowlers."

"When you look at the IPL, you will find great batters, but bowling won't be on the same level. Every team has one or two bowlers who can be easily targeted. You won't see such bowlers in the PSL. For me, there is no difference in IPL and PSL in terms of quality, crowd, or grounds."

Tanvir was part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) team that won the inaugural IPL season in 2008. He also finished as the highest wicket-taker of the edition, bagging 22 scalps from 11 games.