Joginder Sharma, India's ICC T20 World Cup 2007 hero, retires from professional cricket; Twitter hails him
Joginder Sharma has announced his retirement from professional cricket. He was India's hero during its title triumph in the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa. Meanwhile, Twitter has hailed his career.
FollowOn Friday, former Indian medium-pacer Joginder Sharma, who bowled the monumental match-winning final over in the ICC T20 World Cup 2007's final clash versus arch-rival Pakistan, announced his retirement from professional cricket. The 39-year-old had represented India in four One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and as many Twenty20 International (T20Is) between 2004 and 2007, scalping five wickets. He also featured in domestic cricket for Haryana. Meanwhile, Twitter was all praise for him and his consequential cricketing career.
"My journey from 2002-2017 has been the most wonderful years of my life, for it was an honour representing India at the highest level of the sport. To all my teammates, coaches, mentors and support staff: It has been an absolute privilege to have played with you all, and I thank you all for helping turn my dream into reality," he said in a message on Twitter.
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Passed the ball by ten-skipper MS Dhoni in the last over of the maiden T20WC final, the unrefined Joginder bowled India to success, scripting one of the most iconic instants in the sport's history. Pakistan was well on course for a famous victory, with Misbah-ul-Haq reducing the equation to six runs from the final four deliveries.
But, Misbah mistimed a scoop shot, with S Sreesanth completing an uncomplicated catch at short fine-leg, helping India to steal the trophy. However, the final was Joginder's last outing with Team India. He played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) before joining the police service. He served as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and was on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Sharma most recently played in the Legends Cricket League (LLC) last September. He also expressed that he would explore new prospects in the sport. "I am excited to announce that I will be exploring new opportunities in the world of cricket & the business side of it, where I will continue to participate in the sport that I love and challenge myself in a new and different environment. I believe this is the next step in my journey as a cricketer, and I look forward to this new chapter in my life," he concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)
