Yasir Arafat b I Pathan 15 (11)
COMMENTARY: PAKISTAN v INDIA
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By Dave Tickner
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India (157 for five) beat Pakistan (152 all out) by five runs
A superb tournament gets a fitting final, and it's India who have held their nerve. Just. Superb stuff, and anyone who suffered through the big World Cup in April will realise that 50-over cricket faces a very uncertain future now. This has been superb, everything that tournament wasn't, and Dhoni's impressive side take the plaudits. The World Twenty20 is here to stay, make no mistake. Let's hope the ICC have the nerve to actually call it what it is - the Twenty20 World Cup - when it comes to England in two years' time.
Over 19.3: WICKET!
Misbah-ul-Haq c Sreesanth b J Sharma 43 (38)
All over! Misbah tries to paddle-sweep over fine-leg, but gets under it too much and gives Sreesanth a simple catch at short fine-leg. What a match, what a finish.
Over 19.2: J Sharma to Misbah: SIX! Misbah slots it straight down the ground for a maximum! Just one hit away now! Six to win from four balls
Over 19.1: J Sharma to Misbah: Dot ball. Huge swing from Misbah, but he makes no contact. Just inside the wide line. 12 to win from five balls
Over 19.1: J Sharma to Misbah: WIDE! Huge wide from Joginder outside the off stump, and the pressure is on. 12 to win from six balls
Joginder Sharma to bowl the final over. Big pressure on the young man - it could have been Harbhajan, but the Misbah assault on him has presumably put Dhoni off.
Over 19: Asif does better than that, edging the ball fine and giving third-man no chance. Four runs, and Pakistan need 13 from the final over. Whisper it, but 12 would give us another bowl-out between these two...
Pakistan 145/9 (RR: 7.67): Misbah 38* (35), Asif 4* (1)
Pakistan need 13 runs to win from 6 balls at 13.00 runs per over.
Asif is the last man for Pakistan. All he has to do is keep this last ball out to give Misbah the strike for the final over.
WICKET!
Umar Gul b Singh 0 (2)
Misbah takes a single from the first ball of the over, before Gul is beaten by a slower ball, but the batsmen go through for a bye as Dhoni fails to gather cleanly. Misbah goes across his stumps and looks to clear the short legside boundary but misses. Big shout for leg-before, but it's probably going across to miss off stump. Misbah swings the next one away but for just a single, and Gul is comprehensively bowled by the fifth ball of the over. Just one wicket needed now for India.
Singh back into the attack.
Over 18: Gul is the new batsman, and this one's going right to the wire.
Pakistan 138/8 (RR: 7.67): Misbah 36* (32), Gul 0* (0)
Pakistan need 20 runs to win from 12 balls at 10.00 runs per over.
WICKET!
Sohail Tanvir b Sreesanth 12 (4)
What an over. India are suddenly under huge pressure as Tanvir hammers the first ball he faces high over long-on for six. The next ball is a wide down the legside, and a scampered leg-bye gets Misbah back on strike. He swings and misses at the next ball, but does get a single into the legside after that. Sreesanth comes round the wicket, and Tanvir flicks him away over square-leg for another six! Super hitting from the number nine, but the balance shifts yet again as Sreesanth fires a yorker through him to end the over with the wickets demolished.
Sreesanth is back into the attack.
Over 17: Harbhajan starts with a wide, and Misbah then clumps one over long-on for six. He refuses a simple single from the fourth ball of the over, and justifies that by clouting the next two balls from Harbhajan high over midwicket for second and third sixes from the over. Sueprb stuff from Misbah, and the game is not over yet.
Pakistan 123/7 (RR: 7.24): Misbah 35* (30), Tanvir 0* (0)
Pakistan need 35 runs to win from 18 balls at 11.67 runs per over.
Over 16: Tanvir is the new batsman for Pakistan.
Pakistan 104/7 (RR: 6.50): Misbah 17* (24), Tanvir 0* (0)
Pakistan need 54 runs to win from 24 balls at 13.50 runs per over.
WICKET!
Yasir Arafat b I Pathan 15 (11)
Misbah brings up the 100 with a single, but it takes him until the third ball of the over to get it. Arafat clubs straight down the ground for a welcome boundary, but misses the next ball, which is well-taken by Dhoni standing up to the stumps. The final ball of Pathan's spell is full and straight and beats Arafat's mow across the line and crashes into the stumps. Brilliant bowling from Pathan, who looks to have won this game for India.
Pathan now set to bowl the final over of what has been a superb spell of bowling.
There's a delay while Uthappa has some treatment on his hand after dropping that catch.
Over 15: Misbah reverse-sweeps for a couple and then hits down the ground for one. Arafat gets another before Misbah plays out a vital dot ball. He swings one out to deep midwicket for only a single. Arafat heaves the last ball of the over to long-on where Uthappa dives forward and, briefly has the ball in his hands. But the catch pops out and the batsmen get two runs.
Pakistan 99/6 (RR: 6.60): Misbah 16* (21), Arafat 11* (8)
Pakistan need 59 runs to win from 30 balls at 11.80 runs per over.
Over 14: Another excellent over from Irfan Pathan, who is on the way to being the hero here. Just four singles from the over, and the required rate jumps from 10 to 11.
Pakistan 92/6 (RR: 6.77): Misbah 12* (17), Arafat 8* (6)
Pakistan need 66 runs to win from 36 balls at 11.00 runs per over.
Over 13: Misbah swings a full-toss into the legside, and gets a second thanks to Singh's misfield on the fence. Another full-toss goes down the ground for a single, and Arafat gets one more from the first ball he faces. Misbah gets a single down the ground and Arafat then jabs his bat down on a quicker ball and gets an inside edge that flies away to the fine-leg fence. Lucky, but vital runs. Arafat adds a single from the final ball, and that's an expensive start for Harbhajan.
Pakistan 88/6 (RR: 6.77): Misbah 10* (14), Arafat 6* (3)
Pakistan need 70 runs to win from 42 balls at 10.00 runs per over.
Harbhajan is into the attack.
Over 12: Misbah gets a single from the final ball of the over, so that over costs just two runs and includes two massive wickets. That could be the over that wins the tournament.
Pakistan 78/6 (RR: 6.50): Misbah 6* (11), Arafat 0* (0)
Pakistan need 80 runs to win from 48 balls at 10.00 runs per over.
Arafat is the new batsman. He's a capable hitter, but by no means a specialist.
WICKET!
Shahid Afridi c Sreesanth b I Pathan 0 (1)
Afridi ducks under a wide but then skies a slower ball to long-off, where Sreesanth holds on safely. That could be the decisive moment in this match as the dangerous Afridi falls to the first legitimate ball he faces.
Afridi is the new batsman. He hasn't fired with the bat in the tournament. Can he do it in the final?
WICKET!
Shoaib Malik c R Sharma b I Pathan 8 (17)
Two dot balls crank up the pressure on Pakistan's captain, and he then miscues a pull straight to midwicket. India probably favourites now for the first time since the first over of the match. Over 11: Malik gets two through the legside and then chases a really wide delivery from Sharma. The Indians as one think he's nicked it, Simon Taufel does not and signals wide. Replays suggest the umpire's spot on. But with just six from it, it's another good over for India, and Pakistan now require over nine an over.
Pakistan 76/4 (RR: 6.91): Malik 8* (14), Misbah 5* (9)
Pakistan need 82 runs to win from 54 balls at 9.11 runs per over.
Over 10: Irfan does just as good a job as his brother, restricting the Pakistan batsmen to just five singles from that over. It looks increasingly likely that Afridi will be the key man here.
Pakistan 70/4 (RR: 7.00): Malik 6* (11), Misbah 2* (6)
Pakistan need 88 runs to win from 10 overs at 8.80 runs per over.
Irfan replaces Yusuf as Dhoni switches one Pathan for another.
Over 9: Three dot balls to follow the wicket, and the pressure is ramped up again on Pakistan.
Pakistan 65/4 (RR: 7.22): Malik 3* (8), Misbah 0* (3)
Pakistan need 93 runs to win from 11 overs at 8.45 runs per over.
Misbah-ul-Haq is the new batsman. After him it's Afridi then the bowlers, so big pressure on this partnership.
WICKET!
Younus Khan c Y Pathan b J Sharma 24 (24)
After being content to push the singles, Younus suddenly decides to try a big shot down the ground, and mistimes it straight to mid-on. Big breakthrough for India after a couple of tight overs.
Over 8: Excellent start for Yusuf Pathan, able to sneak through a five-run over as Pakistan look to rebuild. Just five singles, and a real bonus over out of the way for Dhoni.
Pakistan 63/3 (RR: 7.88): Younus 23* (22), Malik 2* (7)
Pakistan need 95 runs to win from 12 overs at 7.92 runs per over.
Bold move from Dhoni, bringing Yusuf Pathan into the attack ahead of Harbhajan Singh.
Over 7: Younus misses out on two wide balls, hitting one to cover and bottom-edging the next. He doesn't miss out on a half-volley though, driving it through the covers for four. A single to third-man follows, but Malik can get nothing from the last two balls of the over. Good over for India, and a sense that Pakistan missed out a bit in that over.
Pakistan 58/3 (RR: 8.29): Younus 20* (19), Malik 0* (4)
Pakistan need 100 runs to win from 13 overs at 7.69 runs per over.
Joginder Sharma is into the attack for the first time. Clever move from Dhoni, as Pakistan will have to play him quietly to start with - they can't afford to lose more wickets.
Over 6: Malik lets the last couple of balls through to the keeper. India know that bowler-heavy Pakistan have a relatively long tail. Regular wickets will keep them right in this game.
Pakistan 53/3 (RR: 8.83): Younus 15* (15), Malik 0* (2)
Pakistan need 105 runs to win from 14 overs at 7.50 runs per over.
Malik is the new batsman.
WICKET!
Imran Nazir run out (Uthappa) 33 (14)
Sreesanth goes back to his first-over form as Younus thumps a couple of legside boundaries. But he then looks for a quick single and Nazir, ambling to the 'safe' end with his gloves in his hands is caught inches short as Uthappa wisely throws to the far end. Poor cricket from Nazir, and a real bonus for India. Nazir was angry that he didn't get a runner, but he frankly took the mick by having one in the semi-final against New Zealand.
Over 5: A couple of singles to start the over, and Nazir then gets four from a thick edge to third-man. Singh oversteps and Nazir gets a single, leaving Younus on strike for the free hit, which he swivels and heaves away over square-leg for four runs to give his innings a kickstart.A single comes from the last ball of an expensive over, and the momentum shifts again.
Pakistan 44/2 (RR: 8.80): Nazir 33* (14), Younus 7* (11)
Pakistan need 114 runs to win from 15 overs at 7.60 runs per over.
Over 4: Sreesanth pleads for another lbw decision, but Mark Benson has nothing to do with it. Sree's already lost a chunk of his fee from the Australia game for his, erm, enthusiasm, and would be well-advised to cool it a fraction. Not sure that's in his game though. Either way, it's a corking over as an out-of-sorts Younus plays out a maiden. Great comeback from Sreesanth after taking some fearul tap in his first over.
Pakistan 31/2 (RR: 7.75): Nazir 27* (10), Younus 1* (8)
Pakistan need 127 runs to win from 16 overs at 7.94 runs per over.
Over 3: Younus has to be alert to dig out an inswinging yorker first ball, and guides his second to third-man for a single. The final ball swings into the pads, and Nazir flicks it away wristily for another boundary. Different game when he's on strike.
Pakistan 31/2 (RR: 10.33): Nazir 27* (10), Younus 1* (2)
Pakistan need 127 runs to win from 17 overs at 7.47 runs per over.
Younus Khan is the new batsman for Pakistan.
WICKET!
Kamran Akmal b Singh 0 (3)
This game is lurching alarmingly one way then the other. Brilliant inswinger from Singh, and Akmal just has no answer to it as his furniture gets disturbed.
Over 2: Nazir takes the attack to Sreesanth in fine style, launching a cut shot over point and away for four before carting a six over midwicket. The next ball is short from Sreesanth, and Nazir just gets enough on it to carve the ball over third-man for another maximum. The next ball is there for the cut shot again, but this time Nazir misses. The next ball offers some width to Nazir, who needs no second invitation, and carves a drive over point for another boundary. A single to end the over makes 21 from the over and the momentum lurches dramatically to Pakistan. Sreesanth didn't concede that many in his four overs combined against Australia.
Pakistan 25/1 (RR: 12.50): Nazir 22* (8), Akmal 0* (1)
Pakistan need 133 runs to win from 18 overs at 7.39 runs per over.
Sree Sreesanth to share the new ball. He was quite brilliant against Australia.
Over 1: The last ball of the over comes off Akmal's thigh pad and away for a couple of leg-byes. But it's a superb start for India.
Pakistan 4/1 (RR: 4.00): Nazir 1* (2), Akmal 0* (1)
Pakistan need 154 runs to win from 19 overs at 8.11 runs per over.
Akmal is in at number three. Touch surprising.
WICKET!
Mohammad Hafeez c Uthappa b Singh 1 (3)
And India do start well! After a couple of singles, Hafeez steers the ball straight to Uthappa at a wide slip, and India make an early breakthrough.
RP Singh to bowl the first over. India are going to have to bowl superbly well here, and it needs to start with the new ball.
Hafeez and Imran Nazir are out to start Pakistan's run chase for victory in the first ever World Twenty20.
India: 157 for five (20 overs)
Pakistan need 158 to win at 7.90 runs per over Brilliant bowling display from Pakistan - Gul in particular - but Gambhir's anchor innings and Sharma's late flurry have got India up to a competitive if unspectacular total. It's not the 180 Dhoni wanted, but it's something. For Pakistan, the batting lesson should be clear; Gambhir and Sharma got success playing proper cricket shots. Batsmen who attempted to smash the cover off the ball were less successful. Advantage Pakistan at the halfway stage.
Over 20: Sharma smears one over the covers for twobefore skying a drive to long-on. Hafeez settles underneath it... and tips it over the boundary for six! Should have been a catch, instead it's a maximum. Six-run swing - could be massive. Sharma gets another single from the next ball. The next ball is a good yorker from Tanvir, and Pathan can only get an inside edge for a single. Sharma top-edges a paddle sweep, and it somehow lands safely at third-man for a couple of runs. Sharma smacks the last ball of the over down the ground for another two, and India have ended the innings pretty well.
India 157/5 (RR: 7.85): R Sharma 30* (16), I Pathan 3* (3)
Tanvir to bowl the final over of the innings.
Over 19: Good start to the over for India, as Sharma slogs one through midwicket for four before deftly deflecting a ball fine of the short third-man fielder for four. The next ball is a good yorker from Arafat is timed well down the ground by Sharma, and Pathan scampers back to the danger end for a second. A swipe to leg gets a single, but Pathan can only block out another yorker. Pathan does slap the last ball of the over through the covers for a couple of runs.
India 143/5 (RR: 7.53): R Sharma 17* (11), I Pathan 2* (2)
Over 18: Irfan Pathan is the new batsman. Gul finishes with three for 28 and is now out on his own as the leading wicket-taker.
India 130/5 (RR: 7.22): R Sharma 6* (7), I Pathan 0* (0)
WICKET!
G Gambhir c Asif b Gul 75 (54)
A couple of singles before Gambhir finally gets a length ball from Gul. To his credit, the batsmen puts it away in good style, slamming the ball over midwicket for a proper six. A couple of singles from the next two balls are followed by a paddle sweep from Gambhir that perfectly picks out Asif at short fine-leg. Half a yard either side and it's four, but everything is going Pakistan's way here. Fine innings from Gambhir though, but no-one stayed with him.
Over 17: Sharma gets a single, and Gambhir manages to squeeze a yorker out to deep point for a couple more. He can't get anything from the next one, and only a single to deep point from ball four. Sharma swings away for just a single, and Gambhir does the same. Lots of effort, little reward for the batsmen in that over.
India 120/4 (RR: 7.06): Gambhir 67* (50), R Sharma 4* (5)
Arafat back into the team, and now into the attack. He's a specialist death bowler, and he'll try to bowl two overs of yorkers, nothing more.
Over 16: Sharma guides his first ball to third-man for a single, and Gambhir gets another to midwicket. Another superb yorker is dug out by Sharma. Gul follows up with another, but this time Sharma manages to squeeze the ball away for a single. Superb bowling from Gul, who is now joint leading wicket-taker in the tournament.
India 114/4 (RR: 7.13): Gambhir 63* (46), R Sharma 2* (3)
Rohit Sharma is the new batsman, and Malik has again got a slip in. Bold captaincy.
WICKET!
MS Dhoni b Gul 6 (10)
Gul starts the over with a head-high beamer that is of course called no-ball. Immediate apology from the bowler, and that was an attempted yorker gone wrong - no more than that. The next ball also whistles past Dhoni's grille, but this time it bounces first. Top delivery, and followed up perfectly with a pitched-up ball that finds Dhoni's inside edge and knocks back the leg stump. India faltering here, and in danger of falling short of what's required.
Over 15: Dhoni hits Afridi down the ground and runs hard to get back for two. Another firm drive down the ground gets two more, Asif's dive saving two. Dhoni pulls a short ball away for a single to deep square-leg. But three dot balls in that over mean it's a fine one for Pakistan.
India 110/3 (RR: 7.33): Gambhir 62* (45), Dhoni 6* (7)
Afridi back into the attack.
Over 14: Gambhir gets a single to mid-on to bring Dhoni on strike for the first time. He plays and misses at his first delivery, and Malik deserves praise for having a slip in here. Dhoni bunts one down the ground for a single to end the over.
India 105/3 (RR: 7.50): Gambhir 62* (44), Dhoni 1* (2)
Dhoni is the new batsman for India.
WICKET!
Yuvraj Singh c & b Gul 14 (19)
Gambhir's placement has been superb in this innings, this time using the angle from Gul around the wicket to hit through midwicket, bisecting the man on the one at midwicket aand on the fence at long-on for another boundary. Gambhir slaps the next ball to cover for a single before danger-man Yuvraj - who never really got going today - skies an attempted pull to give Gul a return catch. Big wicket for Pakistan, who are still keeping India down to something manageable here.
Over 13: Gambhir hits down the ground for a single to bring up the 50 partnership, and Yuvraj swings one to leg with no timing for a single. Gambhir skips down the track again, and places another drive perfectly through the cover field for four, and follows with a single down the ground. Yuvraj backs away and hits hard again through the offside for a couple more.
India 98/2 (RR: 7.54): Gambhir 56* (41), Yuvraj 14* (18)
Hafeez changes ends to replace Afridi.
Over 12: Gul starts with a wide down the legside, and Yuvraj works the next ball through square-leg for a single. Gul switches to round the wicket for Gambhir, and starts with a no-ball. Gambhir tries to pull a short ball, but can only miscue the ball straight back to the bowler. The next ball is a pinpoint yorker that Gambhir can only dig out for a third dot ball in a row. Gambhir hits back next ball though, carving a length ball through gully for four to take the India opener past 200 runs for the tournament. He goes to 50 for the innings with a single next ball, and it's a classy knock.
India 89/2 (RR: 7.42): Gambhir 50* (38), Yuvraj 11* (15)
Gambhir 50: 38 balls, 6 x 4s, 1 x 6
Umar Gul is into the attack. He's been superb in this tournament, and Pakistan need him to just slow this charge from Yuvraj and Gambhir.
Over 11: India on the charge here. After a couple of singles, Yuvraj slams Afridi down the ground for four and then cuts hard for a single. Gambhir skips down the track and deposits the last ball of the over clear of deep midwicket for six.
India 82/2 (RR: 7.45): Gambhir 45* (33), Yuvraj 10* (14)
Over 10: Yuvraj struggling to get going against the spin, facing another dot ball before collecting just his fourth single in 10 balls. No such problems for Gambhir, who is in full swing now and places another ball beautifully through the covers - off the front foot this time - and gets four more. A cuts shot gets through the infield for two more. The final ball of the over is tossed up, and Gambhir drives powerfully again through extra-cover for a second high-class boundary in the over.
India 69/2 (RR: 6.90): Gambhir 39* (31), Yuvraj 4* (10)
Over 9: A couple of singles from the first two balls of Afridi's over are followed by a delightful shot from Gambhir, skipping down the wicket and clipping the ball through midwicket for four. Gambhir cuts hard to point for a single, and Yuvraj works to leg for another to end the over.
India 58/2 (RR: 6.44): Gambhir 29* (27), Yuvraj 3* (8)
Over 8: Gambhir gets four with a perfectly-placed cut shot behind point, and then gets a single on the legside. Yuvraj can get nothing from the last two balls of the over,and it's advantage Pakistan at this stage.
India 50/2 (RR: 6.25): Gambhir 23* (24), Yuvraj 1* (5)
Mohammad Hafeez into the attack, so spin at both ends.
Over 7: Gambhir clips to leg for a couple, and gets a single to midwicket two balls later. Yuvraj bottom-edges a cut shot and gets a single; Gambhir middles one and gets nothing, lacing the ball straight at point. Another cut shot does get a single, but only after a shocking mix-up from the batsmen. Better fielding, and that would have been the third wicket.
India 45/2 (RR: 6.43): Gambhir 18* (20), Yuvraj 1* (3)
Afridi into the attack for Pakistan. Key period of the game now with the spinners involved.
Over 6: Brilliant over from Tanvor, keeping Yuvraj at bay for the last two balls of the over - just a single and a wicket from that over.
India 40/2 (RR: 6.67): Gambhir 14* (15), Yuvraj 0* (2)
Yuvraj Singh is the new batsman, and he's been the undoubted star of it.
WICKET!
RV Uthappa c Afridi b Tanvir 8 (11)
Pakistan fighting back well here, as a couple of dot balls pile pressure on Uthappa, who tries to drive over the covers again but can only toe-end the ball to Afridi in the covers.
Over 5: Asif definitely not at full pace here. Whether that's a tactical decision or something wrong with the bowler is unclear. Either way, it's not working as Uthappa hits through the line and drives over the covers for his first boundary. A couple of singles follow before Asif does slip himself and bowls a good bouncer that thuds into Kamran Akmal's gloves. Another short ball ends the over, and he's dragged that back well has Asif after being clubbed for four early in the over.
India 39/1 (RR: 7.80): Gambhir 13* (14), Uthappa 8* (8)
Over 4: Tidy over from Tanvir, just five singles from the first five balls before he's harshly wided for one barely outside the off stump that Uthappa cuts at but misses. Another single follows from the extra ball.
India 33/1 (RR: 8.25): Gambhir 12* (13), Uthappa 3* (3)
Over 3: Gambhir gets a single from the last ball of the over, but that was a better over for Pakistan, a wicket and just six runs from it.
India 26/1 (RR: 8.67): Gambhir 9* (10), Uthappa 0* (0)
Robin Uthappa in at number three.
WICKET!
YK Pathan c Malik b Asif 15 (8)
Pathan slaps a four through point, and Asif appears to be struggling. But he hits back to remove the opener, who attempts to pull a short ball, but can only splice it to mid-on where Malik judges an awkward catch nicely.
Over 2: Pathan gets a single to mid-on before Tanvir loses his line, bowling a wide down the legside before another ball on leg stump is glanced fine on the legside for a first boundary to Gambhir. India's innings up and running here.
India 20/0 (RR: 10.00): Gambhir 7* (6), Y Pathan 11* (6)
Sohail Tanvir to share the new ball.
Over 1: What a start in Jo'burg! Pathan is almost run out without facing as Gambhir calls him through for a dicy single from the very first ball of the innings. Two more singles follow before Pathan announces his arrival with a six over long-on. The next ball goes through midwicket for three, and a wide completes a high-scoring first over.
India 13/0 (RR: 13.00): Gambhir 2* (3), Y Pathan 10* (3)
Mohammad Asif will open the bowling for Pakistan.
Here's an interesting one; Yusuf Pathan is straight into the action, opening the batting with Gautam Gambhir. What a way to make your international debut - opening the batting in a final.
1246: Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik says he'd have bowled first if he'd won the toss, and doesn't expect the pitchto change much in the next couple of hours. One change for Pakistan - Yasir Arafat comes in for Fawad Alam. Play due to start at 1300 BST - the atmosphere's incredible, game on!
1244: Mahendra Singh Dhoni calls correctly in bright sunshine and India will bat first. Dhoni reckons 180 will be a good score, and hopes to put a formidable total on the board. Team news is that Virender Sehwag is out because of that groin injury - he's replaced by all-rounder Yusuf Pathan (older brother of Irfan).
1236: Excitement building at The Wanderers, where the atmosphere is going to be unbelievable this afternoon as these two bitter rivals do battle in the first ever World Twenty20 final. Details of the teams and toss to follow shortly as we get them.
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