India won the first-ever men's T20 World Cup, in 2007, defeating Pakistan in a nail-biter in the final. It marked the arrival of MS Dhoni the captain, and Indian cricket changed forever. We look back at the tournament and see how the cricketers fared after that event.
India lost one game in the entire edition, against New Zealand, before they went on a four-match winning streak. The entire competition had plenty of memorable moments for Indian fans, starting from Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes in an over off Stuart Broad or the bowl-out against Pakistan in the first round. The Men in Blue defeated Australia in the semifinal, before clinching the title a few days later, defeating Pakistan by five runs.
Gautam Gambhir
The top-scorer in the T20 World Cup final, making 75, Gambhir went on to play another match-winning knock in the 2011 World Cup final, hitting 97 in the successful run-chase. Gambhir enjoyed a successful outing for India after the event and ended with more than 10,000 international runs across formats. He captained Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL trophies and ended as one of the finest skippers, his persistence to bring Sunil Narine on board, being hailed as a masterstroke.
Gambhir last played for India in 2016, with his last professional game coming two years later. He is an elected Member of Parliament of a constituency in Delhi but has quit politics recently to focus on his cricket commitments.
Gambhir relinked with KKR as a mentor for IPL 2024 after being in that position for Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and 2023, and helped the Knight Riders win their third title.
In July, Gambhir was appointed the head coach of India men's team.
MS Dhoni
The wicketkeeper went on to become one of the greatest captains, helping India win the 2011 World Cup and the Champions Trophy two years later. He also left his mark as a skipper in the IPL, winning four titles, and helping Chennai Super Kings qualify for the top four in 11 of 13 editions.
Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020 after playing 535 games across formats. Now 43, Dhoni left Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy this year but still plays for the IPL franchise as a wicketkeeper-batter.
