Twitter reacts to Bjorn Fortuin and Tom Curran recreating Misbah’s 2007 WT20 Final scoop

Given the one-sided nature of the Tests, the limited-over leg of the series - given England’s dominance in the shorter formats - was expected to be a cakewalk for the visitors. However, the Proteas led by their newly-appointed skipper Quinton de Kock managed to draw the ODI series and also drew first blood in the T20Is, making the 2nd T20I in Durban a do-or-die encounter for Eoin Morgan’s men.

And after 119 balls of exhilarating action - including a mad Moeen Ali blitz and a Chirs Jordan death bowling masterclass - it came down to South Africa needing 3 off the last ball to clinch the series, with newcomer Bjorn Fortuin on strike. Fortuin, until he came out to bat, had not faced a single delivery in international cricket and the elder Curran was all pumped up, having just dismissed Dwaine Pretorius in the previous delivery. By now, the fans were all convinced that a dramatic finish was on the cards, but little did anyone expect what was about to come. 

Curran, with years of expertise in the BBL bowling in the death under his belt, unphased by the equation, steamed in to bowl the last ball. And whilst many were expecting an inswinging yorker, the 24-year-old instead opted for a cutter outside leg-stump, perhaps in an attempt to catch the batsman off guard. And the batsman Fortuin, who was expecting pace on the ball, walked towards his off-stump and went for an extravagant scoop, but could only manage to find the fielder at short fine-leg, Adil Rashid. 

Everything about the delivery, be it Fortuin’s trigger movement or his scoop or Curran’s delivery or even Rashid’s catch, was reminiscent to the final moments of the WT20 final between India and Pakistan and at that point in time, you could almost “In the airrrrrrrrrrrr, Sreesanth. TAKES IT” reverberate in your ears. Alas, England leveled the series and ensured that they will live to fight another day. They say fortune favours the brave, but well, I guess Bjorn misread it as “Fortuin”, instead.  

What a thrilling series it has been so far

Absolutely

This is how much it means

2007 WC Finals flashback