WC Countdown #14 - When cricket gives you a second chance

On 23rd March, 2003 Zaheer Khan walked out of 'The Bullring' in Johannesburg, a forlorn young man who'd just had his wings clipped. India's eight-match unbeaten run had ended rather tamely with a 125-run defeat to Australia in the World Cup final. Among the 11-men left licking their wounds after a brutal Ricky Ponting onslaught was a 24-year old Zaheer, who in his brief career, had already been tipped to take over the mantle of leading India's bowling attack in the new decade.
In the big match, Sourav Ganguly had won the toss and inexplicably chose to bowl on a flat deck. The new ball was thrown to Zaheer. The skipper's trust needed to be vindicated. There were nerves and it showed.
Zaheer Khan ran up and delivered the first ball way down the leg-side. Wide and four byes was followed by a glare at Adam Gilchrist as if to say: 'That missed the stumps by just a couple of feet. Watch out'. The exuberance of youth and the occasion had consumed the young quick. Australia had 15 on the board at the end of Zaheer's over, a platform they used to notch up a mammoth 359 in their 50 0vers. The supposed future leader of the Indian attack ended with figures of 7-0-67-0!
8 years later...
India made it to another World Cup final. This time, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, under a new captain, MS Dhoni. Zaheer and three other survivors from the 2003 edition were there. The now 32-year old Zaheer, having gone through the rigors of international cricket had emerged wiser, wilier and far more composed. As prophesied, he had carried the mantle of leading India's bowling attack and was duly handed the new ball when India, having lost the toss, were asked to bowl. A second chance to determine true worth.
Zaheer stepped up and this time his mastery of control was on full display. He hit the channel outside the off-stump and gave away nothing to the batsmen. In 2003, he had gone for 28 in his first three. To Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga, he started with 3 maidens. He ended his first spell with figures of 5-3-6-1. He came back in the second spell to dismiss Chamara Kapugedara with his new invention, the knuckle ball. With 21 wickets, he emerged as the joint leading wicket-taker of the World Cup, a vital cog in India's famous win.
Sometimes you deserve a second chance because you weren't quite ready for the first.