The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was the tenth Cricket World Cup. It was played in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. It was Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a World Cup. The World Cup was also supposed to be co-hosted by Pakistan, but in the wake of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore, the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to strip Pakistan of its hosting rights.[1] The headquarters of the organising committee were originally situated in Lahore, but have now been shifted to Mumbai.[2] Pakistan was supposed to hold 14 matches, including one semi-final.[3] Eight of Pakistan's matches (including the semi-final) were awarded to India, four to Sri Lanka and two to Bangladesh.[4]
All matches in the World Cup were accorded One Day International status, with all matches being played over 50 overs. Fourteen national cricket teams competed in the tournament, including ten full members and four associate members.[5] The World Cup took place between February and 2nd April 2011, with the first match played on 19 February 2011 with co-hosts India and Bangladesh facing off at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.[6] The opening ceremony was held on 17 February 2011 at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, two days before the start of the tournament,[7] with the final on 2 April 2011 between India and Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
The tournament was won by India who defeated Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the final. India became the first nation to win a World Cup final on home soil. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored an unbeaten 91 in the final and was adjudged the man of the match. India's Yuvraj Singh was declared the man of the tournament. The biggest upset of the torunament was the defeat of England by Ireland.[9] Ireland's Kevin O'Brien scored a century in just 50 balls (and a total of 113 off 63 balls), the fastest World Cup century, while Ireland made the highest successful run chase in World Cup history beating Sri Lanka's 313 against Zimbabwe at New Plymouth in New Zealand in 1992.
India v Pakistan: Cricket World Cup 2011 live :
Follow over-by-over commentary of the second World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan in Mohali. Latest: India win the toss and will bat first. Result: IND 260/9; PAK 231 all out. India win by 29 runs .
6:30PM BST 30 Mar 2011 :
WRAP: Well, that seems an appropriate note upon which to end proceedings. Undiluted joy for India, but Pakistan can leave this tournament with their heads held high. Wherever they go, they'll continue to travel under a cloud, but they really did give it their all today. They're a young side, an immature side, and ultimately when it came to handling pressure, India's seasoned pros won the day.
Two teams left, then. It's India's third World Cup final, but the first one they will go into as favourites. India take on Kumar Sangakkara's mightily impressive Sri Lankan team, and Mumbai is surely the place to be on Saturday. If, however, you can't make it to Mumbai, then this site is probably a decent alternative. We'll be here from what I can only describe at this stage as A Very Early Hour for all the build-up to (Sachin Tendulkar's/Muttiah Muralitharan's) (Crowning Moment of Jubilee/Crushing Anticlimax). Delete as appropriate.
Many thanks for all your emails - and sorry I couldn't print them all. I'll see you on Saturday.
18.32 The man of the match award goes to... well, who do you think it goes to? Any member of the judging panel who didn't vote for Sachin Tendulkar will probably be in front of a grand jury tomorrow. An email from Shivani Sharma: "I am soooooooooo happpppppy! I am on my feet dancing and everybody at work is looking at me thinking she's gone crazy! but I don't care I am so gonna have my "WINNER" dance on today!"
18.30 Now for MS Dhoni, who never fails to impress me. "If you ignore the start, 260 was a good score," he says. "It was turning, and we read the wicket wrongly and played three seamers. But in a way it worked, because the seamers bowled really well. Five bowlers doing their job for us. It was fantastic. We don't have bowlers who can bowl 140kph-plus. We rely on deception - changes of pace, length and line." So. Can they win the thing? "It was our dream before the start of the tournament to peak at the right time. Nothing comes easy, but the good thing is that we have chased a few decent scores, we've batted first, everyone's been tested, and we're quite ready."
18.26 Shahid Afridi speaks: "First of all, I want to congrtulate the Indian cricket team and the Indian nation for this great victory." Loud cheers. What a pro. Someone get him to sort out Libya. "When we got Sehwag, we thought it was the right time to put some pressure on them. Sachin was lucky, but we really didn't build a partnership, we played some irresponsible shots, and a partnership would have been crucial at that stage." Asked why he didn't take the Powerplay until it was well past its best before date and beginning to grow mould, he answers: "We tried to finish Bhajji, who had two or three overs left. Sorry to my nation. We tried our level best."
18.23 Bowling figures: Five bowlers, two wickets each. You can't say fairer than that. Zaheer 2/58; Nehra 2/33; Munaf 2/40; Harbhajan 2/43; Yuvraj 2/57.
The Analyst on Twitter: "Well played India, but they will need to improve in certain areas (and pick Ashwin) to win the tournament."
Bolton Wanderers's Kevin Davies on Twitter: "Does anyone anyone else think Sachin Tendulkar looks like Usher?!?!"
@jai_reddevil on Twitter: "@kevindaviesbwfc not even close dude, WTF!!!"
18.20 Here's Bhajji! "We bowled really well, fielded really well and deserved the win today. Really excited to be going to Mumbai to play the final in front of my second home crowd. I play for the Mumbai Indians." Oh, do let's leave the IPL out of this.
18.17 Oh, the noise! Oh, the delirium! A distraught Shahid Afridi leads his team onto the field to shake hands with the Indians. It was the match neither side dared to lose, and at the end it's Pakistan staring into the abyss. It'll be India to face Sri Lanka in Saturday's final at Mumbai - the first ever all-Asian final in the World Cup.
WICKET! Misbah-ul-Haq c Kohli b Zaheer 56 (76) PAK 231 all out
INDIA WIN BY 29 RUNS
It's over! India are into the final! Misbah was trying to leather everything, but instead hit four balls in a row straight to fielders. The fifth ball he made contact with, but sent it high, high, high, and after an interminable wait, the ball dropped into the hands of Kohli at long on!
OVER 49: PAK 231/9 Misbah 56* Ajmal 1*
Six from Misbah! High over mid-on, and although there was a man on the rope, he could only watch the ball fly past him. Misbah's turning down singles, but he takes one off the fifth ball of the over. Ajmal steps across his stumps and tries to flick the last ball from Munaf very fine indeed. It's fielded at short fine leg and the batsmen turn down the single. So, the last over, and 30 needed. Ajmal knows a bit about last over shockers, but it would have to be a complete meltdown for Misbah to nick this one. Misbah's fifty came up in that over. Nice innings, too damn slow.
OVER 48: PAK 224/9 Misbah 49* Ajmal 1*
Zaheer charges in to try and finish things. Instead, he tosses in five wides down the leg side! It's not going to help Pakistan win, though. Shahid Afridi stares despondently into blank space on the Pakistan balcony, inadvertently getting himself out a couple more times as he does so. Misbah's finally decided that trying to string a few boundaries together might not be a bad thing, and he finally connects with one, sending the ball scooting through the covers for four. Cover goes back onto the boundary. Misbah strikes the ball out towards him, and again turns down the single. And now he strikes a stunning clean blow over mid-on for six! Where was this Misbah when the required rate was six an over? Where was this Misbah for the first 42 balls of his innings, the time it took him to score his first boundary, or possibly even attempt one? Misbah will attempt to get a single off the last, and he does, although it was a fairly hairy one down to mid-off, and Misbah would actually have been run out if the throw had hit the stumps. William Porter writes: "So, Martin Luther King over Afridi and I have to agree. But Gladstone or Disraeli?" Oh, Disraeli any day of the week. Gladstone was a pompous, pious, boring windbag. Disraeli was witty, urbane, irresistibly interesting. And, of course, he hated Gladstone. Asked to distinguish between a misfortune and a calamity, he replied: "If Gladstone fell into the Thames, that would be a misfortune. If someone pulled him out, that would be a calamity." 37 needed off 12 balls.
OVER 47: PAK 210/9 Misbah 40* Ajmal 1*
"My big thank you for this service," writes Akhil Kumar Deshpandey. "I am sitting in my workplace in Canada getting updates of this wonderful and very exciting match." I've never really thought of this as a service before. Does that mean we're now going to get cut by the Coalition? Little political joke there, for our foreign readers. Other countries revolt. We make snarky comments and visit Fortnum and Mason. Ajmal gets off the mark down to third man, Misbah pushes a single to mid-on, and then another single down to third man is turned down so that Misbah can retain the strike. 51 needed off 18 balls.
WICKET! Umar Gul lbw b Nehra 2 (3) PAK 208/9
Full and straight, and clattering into the stumps! Gul chanced his arm on a review, but it didn't save him! India finishing this in style! Saeed Ajmal the new batsman, and he couldn't find the right end of a cricket bat if you gave him two goes.
OVER 46: PAK 208/8 Misbah 39* Gul 2*
Well, there's a cheering sight for Pakistan fans. Misbah clips Zaheer off his pads, through mid-wicket for four. It's pretty much tip and run now, but India will be perfectly happy with singles. Misbah clips the last straight to Raina at square leg, sets off nevertheless before being sent back by Gul, and a direct hit would have finished him. End of the over, eight runs from it, and Pakistan need 53 from 24 balls. Zaheer will clearly bowl out from this end; Nehra and Munaf will clearly bowl out from the other, and it's going to be Nehra to bowl the 47th.
OVER 45: PAK 200/8 Misbah 32* Gul 0*
Right, so now five overs of Powerplay. Can Pakistan get 61 runs from them? Or 60 for the tie? If they had wickets in hand and possibly a couple of big hitters at the crease, there'd still be something in this game. As it is, they've got Umar Gul, a bowler, and Misbah-ul-Haq, a man apparently unaware that he has a large bat in his hands with which to beat the flying the red thing he appears so preoccupied with. 61 off 30 balls.
WICKET! Wahab Riaz c Tendulkar b Nehra 8 (14) PAK 199/8
Sachin does the catchin'! Nehra had bowled a masterful over to Riaz, yorkers and bouncers and wide ones that flashed past the swishing bat as the batsman backed away. Four dot balls in a row, and then another wide full one. A huge slash by Riaz, the ball went miles in the air, paused, and the picked out the most famous man in India, unless you count Derek Pringle. Last rites for Pakistan, who really will be kicking themselves about the way they let things slip in the middle overs. Umar Gul is the new batsman.
OVER 44: PAK 199/7 Misbah 31* Riaz 7*
Harbhajan's now coming in from round the wicket, firing darts at middle stump. And Misbah spots his quicker one and reverse paddles it for four! Clever shot, that. Billie Jean blares over the speakers. "Used to captain a Billie Jean at Charterhouse, actually. Decent little off-spinner." Seven off the over, and Pakistan need 62 off 36 balls. Still no Powerplay, which means it will have to be taken at the end of this over, which will be bowled by Nehra. Harbhajan finishes with 2/43 off his set of 10. Charles Rycroft writes: "Admitting to knowing more than one Disraeli story AND dating the Balkan Crisis to 1878 suggests you are either a Very Old Man and/or read history prior to Wisden." It's the latter, I'm afraid.
OVER 43: PAK 192/7 Misbah 27* Riaz 6*
Nehra with a fine over, restricting the batsmen to little tickles off the pad. But then Riaz backs away as Nehra fires it in on leg stump, and whips it away through straight mid-wicket for four! Astonishing shot! A wide, and then a rushed single off the last, and that over costs eight. Pakistan need 69 more to win off 42 balls at a shade under ten an over, but it's the wickets tally that really stands in India's favour.
OVER 42: PAK 184/7 Misbah 26* Riaz 0*
Pakistan's dream looks to be over. You can see it on the faces of the Pakstani players in the dressing room, and you can see it in the body language of the Indians as well. They knew that Afridi was the only man who could wrench this game out of their grasp. Now he's gone, you can't see where Pakistan are going to find 77 in 48 balls. Especially given that since he came in, Misbah-ul-Haq has regarded an attacking stroke in much the same way as Sourav Ganguly might regard a Ginsters pasty.
WICKET! Shahid Afridi c Sehwag b Harbhajan 19 (17) PAK 184/7
The end is nigh! Afridi was looking for the big hit, but that wasn't the ball to slog over the leg-side. It was a full toss well outside off stump, and Afridi's premeditated slog flew straight up in the air, dropping straight into the mitts of Sehwag at cover! That's got to be it! Pakistan still well short, and India are into the tail! Wahab Riaz to the wicket with 77 needed off 49 balls.
OVER 41: PAK 181/6 Misbah 25* Afridi 17*
Afridi digs a yorker out to square leg for one. Misbah then flicks to fine leg for one more. Afridi then clubs the ball ferociously straight to mid-on, he hit that so hard that he can't get a single, even though the man was on the very edge of the circle. Misbah then drives the ball straight back to Zaheer. Norrish tweets: "If Afridi pulls this off he will replace Richie Benaud as My Favourite Ever Person..." Mine's Martin Luther King. Perspective, Mike. Perspective. Just four off that over, and Pakistan need 80 off 54 balls. Harbhajan returns, and still no sign of the Powerplay.
OVER 40: PAK 177/6 Misbah 23* Afridi 15*
Misbah hits his first boundary off his 43rd ball! It's been a long time coming, but that's actually a very neat shot, getting down and reverse sweeping past the man in the circle, and away for four. He tries a repeat next ball, but gets only a single. Then comes Afridi's catch-that-wasn't - single for that - and then a couple more singles. Afridi's throwing his arms at everything now. If you presented him with an antique Ming Dynasty vase, he'd study it quizzically for a couple of seconds before raising his bat and smashing it into a million pieces. Last 10 overs, and Pakistan need 84. Zaheer to continue, and he could finish this here and now if he finds his range. Yuvraj finishes his spell of 10 overs, all bowled on the trot, for figures of 2/57.
REVIEW (Afridi)
Afridi bashes it out to deep mid-wicket, but Nehra's waiting! He dives forward, but did he catch it? From his body language, he's not sure... and the replay's not going to conclude anything other than 'it might have bounced, but then again, it might not'. So Afridi stays. Not out.
OVER 39: PAK 168/6 Misbah 17* Afridi 12*
Zaheer returns, and Misbah is still defending. He plays out a couple of dot balls. What on earth is he waiting for? That reminds me of one of my favourite Disraeli stories. He was at some posh dinner during the Balkan Crisis of 1878, when Britain was dithering about getting involved. Suddenly one of his female dining companions turned to him and burst out: "For heaven's sake, Mr Disraeli, what are you waiting for?" Disraeli replied impassively: "At this moment, madam, the potatoes." Classic Disraeli. Five from the over, 93 required off 11.
OVER 38: PAK 163/6 Misbah 16* Afridi 9*
Misbah takes a couple through cover and then a single to turn the strike over. Yuvraj pitches it up to Afridi, who smashes it over cover for four! What a shot! Stupendous power from Afridi, who follows the boundary up with two twos through mid-wicket. Eleven off the over. I'd echo Mike Atherton and take the batting Powerplay now. Afridi is the one man who can use it. Of course he risks getting out, but Afridi always risks getting out. That's the way he rolls. He doesn't leave the dressing room until 90 seconds after a wicket has fallen, just for the adrenalin rush of almost getting timed out. The other morning he was out while having a shower.
OVER 37: PAK 152/6 Misbah 13* Afridi 1*
A couple of singles, but a super over by Munaf. Pakistan need 109 from 13 overs.
WICKET! Abdul Razzaq b Patel 3 (9) PAK 150/6
Well bowled! Wonderfully bowled! Munaf comprehensively stitches up Razzaq, sending down a crafty leg cutter that Razzaq tries to work to leg but moves away off the pitch and clips the off stump! India getting closer and closer, as the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi comes in. He's the last hope, but he's been in no kind of form with the bat.
OVER 36: PAK 148/5 Misbah 11* Razzaq 3*
Oh, these two-run overs are killing Pakistan, blow by numbing blow. Michael Atherton advises Pakistan to take the batting Powerplay now. He's rarely wrong. Nate Bailey writes: "I agree with Jim O'Brien. I don't understand cricket. I have several colleagues in India though who shared this link with me. I have been reading the commentary and it makes me want to learn more... it sounds intense!" If you think this is tense, you should try the CB40 final.
OVER 35: PAK 146/5 Misbah 10* Razzaq 2*
Munaf Patel continues from the Sightscreen End. "Just pass this message to my fellow India players," writes Anshu Agarwal, who I strongly doubt is an India player. "CHAK DE INDIA. BE PROUD TO BE ONE." I'll be sure to pass that on to MS if I bump into him in the Gents. Misbah blocks a straight one from Munaf. Just steps across and blocks it. What on earth is he playing at when his team need almost eight an over? Eventually he does knock a single into the off-side, but he's on a painful 10 off 30 balls. He can explode, as India themselves found out during the World Twenty20 a few years back, but playing yourself in, in anticipation of a stunning late blitz is a huge gamble. The nuclear option, you might say, if there weren't an actual, literal nuclear option.
OVER 34: PAK 144/5 Misbah 9* Razzaq 1*
"Akmal is gone and with that the hopes of Pakistan, hopefully," announces Saurav Ganguly in the commentary box. Impartiality? Pah! How long before he taunts Pakistan with a chant of "World Cup and you ----ed it up"? More than seven an over needed now.
WICKET! Umar Akmal b Harbhajan 29 (24) PAK 142/5
First ball after drinks! That could be the ball game! Again, India take a wicket just when they needed one! Harbhajan comes round the wicket and fires the first one in a good deal quicker than his stock delivery. Akmal doesn't pick it until it's too late, and as he tries to work the ball to leg, the ball clips the outside of off stump, to a yelp of joy from Dhoni behind the stumps! The new batsman comes in, but it's not Shahid Afridi. It's Abdul Razzaq. Handy partnership of 36 off 45, but Pakistan needed it to be more. 119 to win, with overs fast running out.
Drinks. And another email from Nuthalapadi Balaji: "All the Indians in Canary Wharf (and there are several hundred, perhaps thousands, of them in the many offices here) are following the match on their monitors, all work laid aside for the day - pools of excitement in offices as they gather around for every wicket. Puzzled looks among all the other workers unused to this for anything apart from football..." The way I gauge the size of an occasion is from the volume of emails I get. At the moment, this game is rivalling England v Germany, the final day of the Ryder Cup and Richard Keys and Andy Gray's first show for Talksport in terms of email traffic.
OVER 33: PAK 142/4 Misbah 8* Akmal 29*
Munaf's back. Akmal may have loosened his shoulders, but Misbah's still getting a little bogged down. After Akmal chops a single off the first ball of the over, Misbah wastes precious deliveries driving the ball straight at fielders and then chasing a wide, swinging delivery and finding nothing but fresh air. Jim O'Brien in Florida writes, with a good deal of alacrity if nothing else: "I have never watched a cricket match, and have no idea what most of what you are typing means. But it's clearly exciting stuff for you and knowledgeable fans, so I watch the number move towards 261 as I think I understand that much." This might seem like a strange question, Jim, but would you like a job as chairman of the ECB?
OVER 32: PAK 141/4 Misbah 8* Akmal 28*
"I can't help but think Raina's innings was worth its weight in gold," writes Chanthiran Inthirarajah. "Pakistan are facing the pressure of the run rate now." Dhoni perseveres with Yuvraj, giving him his seventh over on the (lack of) bounce. And that's more like it from Akmal, cutting Yuvraj from off the stumps and getting his little legs motoring to scramble back for a second run. And that's six! A wondrous strike from Akmal, straight back over Yuvraj's head and into the sightscreen! Yuvraj pulls his length back, and Akmal can cut an easy single. Nine off the over.
OVER 31: PAK 132/4 Misbah 8* Akmal 19*
Nehra maintains a good line, offering the odd single into the leg side but nothing more. Two off the over. These two need to do a better job of knocking the singles and hustling the twos. Too many shots going straight to fielders, and the Pakistani running is putting themselves rather than the fielders under pressure. 129 to win from 19 overs. It really would be a heist if Pakistan could pull it off, but has anyone seen who's coming in next? It's only a Mr B. B. Afridi. This one's not over yet, not by a long leg.
OVER 30: PAK 130/4 Misbah 7* Akmal 18*
Akmal dances down the pitch and lofts Yuvraj over cover for four runs! The first boundary in 13 overs, and desperately needed by Pakistan. The run rate's hefty, but not unmanageable yet, as long as Pakistan can break the back of it at some stage. And now Akmal goes over mid-wicket! Six runs! Fabulous shot! Just a touch short from Yuvraj, and Akmal simply threw everything at it, practically wrenching it over the infield, and over the rope. A couple of singles complete a good over for Pakistan, who are now halfway to their target at the 30-over stage. If they had one or two more wickets in hand, you'd make this an even game. As it is, these two and the lower order somehow have to muster 131 from 120 balls under the utmost pressure.
OVER 29: PAK 118/4 Misbah 6* Akmal 7*
It's getting harder for Pakistan. Just one off that over as Nehra returns. The noise level is rising here. Well, in the stadium, but here too. People are glancing at TV screens, barely even pretending to work. India sense they've got their man on the ropes here, though, and are straining every joint in search of a new breakthrough. Vikram Singh Chauhan writes: "Could you ask Prasad Bhat what was the name of my first dog? If he can answer that correctly, he's a mystic with unmatched powers. If he can't, he's fixing the match." Over to you, Prasad...
OVER 28: PAK 117/4 Misbah 6* Akmal 6*
Now, is this a run out? Calamitous running by Umar Akmal after a sweep by Misbah. Akmal turned at the end of his second run and wanted a third, coming about halfway down the pitch before realising his partner was not reciprocating. The ball came back to Dhoni, who immediately fired the ball at the other end with Akmal really struggling, but Yuvraj dislodged the bails with his hands rather than the ball, and Akmal survives. For all the super batting and bowling so far today, some of the fielding's been worthy of an office game.
OVER 27: PAK 112/4 Misbah 3* Akmal 4*
Misbah and Akmal make a good fist of the reconstruction effort, knocking six runs off Harbhajan's over. Struggled with his length a little there, Harbhajan, dropping a couple short and offering the batsmen easy ones and twos. Prithvi Karthikeyan describes the mood in Chennai: "I was at work in London when India beat Oz and followed the match with you (and as I try to follow winning routines, I'm doing it again) - now I'm at home in Madras and hopefully Mumbai for the big week. Every screen has the match on and my parents are so stressed about the result they are taping as it is simply too emotionally charged. The whole country is in suspense - restaurants shut, doctors are out - you can smell everyone bleeding blue!"
OVER 26: PAK 106/4 Misbah 1* Akmal 0*
Yuvraj completes a wicket maiden, and some of his bowling this tournament has been a real rejoinder to those who reckon he's just a routine part-time trundler whose only use is to get Kevin Pietersen out. He's really developed his flight and thinks hard about his trajectory, and he's successfully out-thought far more patient batsmen than Pietersen. Like Younus Khan, for example. Nic Kieft writes: "Not to be outdone by Dallas, following you here in a very sunny southwest Florida. The design for a new car park at the airport has been put to one side. Hope India wins."
WICKET! Younus Khan c Raina b Yuvraj 13 (32) PAK 106/4
The pendulum swings further towards India! Yuvraj frustrates Younus with a magician's touch, holding the ball back, pushing it through, and when he holds one back, Younus is suckered into the drive, spooning it up for Raina at extra cover! He takes the catch comfortably above his head with both hands. Pakistan really up against it now. Umar Akmal the new batsman, with the run rate heading north quickly.
OVER 25: PAK 106/3 Younus 13* Misbah 1*
This is a crucial partnership for Pakistan. These two are the most experienced batsmen remaining. Three singles off that over, and a shout of alarm from Harbhajan as Misbah gets an inside edge onto the pad and just short of the man at leg slip.
OVER 24: PAK 103/3 Younus 11* Misbah 0*
Misbah, a late bloomer at international level - he's actually 36 - blocks his first ball. Now. What a moment this is. Pakistan have stagnated just a little, and that run rate is just creeping up. Usman Haider from Pakistan (he doesn't say whereabouts) writes: "I'm uber-excited. Streets are literally empty and I feel like a criminal wasting my time emailing. But you are doing great keeping up with the match. I can definitely see my team is passionate, considering there might be around two or three people cheering for Pakistan in the crowd, the rest is all India." You can tell how few Pakistan fans there are in the crowd, actually. Whenever Pakistan score a boundary, the TV director always cuts to the same bunch of cheering Pakistan fans. Or, as I suspect, the only bunch of cheering Pakistan fans.
WICKET! Asad Shafiq b Yuvraj 30 (39) PAK 103/3
Middle stump! Out of the ground! India strike again at a crucial time! It was a straight, good length ball from Yuvraj, and Shafiq simply took a bit of a liberty with it, backing away, trying to cut off the back foot when he should have been on the front foot, and losing his middle stump as the ball clattered into the top of it. Misbah-ul-Haq comes in at a challenging time. Another wicket and India would be right on top here.
OVER 23: PAK 100/2 Shafiq 29* Younus 9*
More sloppy fielding, this time by the substitute Chawla at square leg, allowing Younis a single. Shafiq then picks up a couple of twos, and it's a good over by Pakistan, milking Zaheer for six runs and reaching their hundred in the process. Whisper it, but I think Prasad Bhat's time in the sun may well be over. 161 to win off 27 overs, and we're almost at a run a ball now.
OVER 22: PAK 94/2 Shafiq 24* Younus 8*
We've got an email from Dallas. "Thanks for doing an awesome job," writes Vinutha Thallam. "I woke up this morning and Googled... guess what? I found your link. Sitting in my office and reading your online commentary is making my day go so well so far. I am all for India team to WIN! GO TEAM INDIA!" Well, quite. Not sure I'm doing an 'awesome' job, though. Nurses, firefighters, the complaints department at O2. They're the real heroes. Yuvraj bowls a fine over, excellent control of flight and line, and there's just a single off it. By the way, who started humming the Dallas theme tune as soon as they read the word 'Dallas'? Next over, I bring you an email from a U. Bulgaria of Wimbledon Common.
OVER 21: PAK 93/2 Shafiq 23* Younus 8*
Zaheer Khan, a man who rivals Graeme Swann for first-over breakthroughs, is restored by Dhoni with Pakistan 172 short of victory. Younus drives his second ball wide of mid-off for a single. Khan then strays onto Shafiq's pads, and gets flicked away pleasantly for two runs. Quick single off the last, and Harbhajan at mid-off fumbles again! Not sure how tight that would have been, but that's the second sloppy bit of handiwork under pressure by Harbhajan so far. Tried to gather the ball like a child wearing oven gloves.
OVER 20: PAK 89/2 Shafiq 20* Younus 7*
Yuvraj's first ball bears the unmistakeable hallmark of a man whose level of physical exertion so far today has been modest at best. He was out first ball, remember, and as for practice - well, here's a man who refers to fielding practice as 'Haribo time'. It's a horrible half-tracker that he gets away with, really, Younus pulling the ball mightily but straight to Zaheer at deep square leg. He gets it sorted, though, and four more singles result from the over. We're approaching 90, the score at which Mystic Prasad of Bhat predicted two wickets would fall. The police are watching, Prasad.
OVER 19: PAK 84/2 Shafiq 18* Younus 4*
Harbhajan comes in to bowl his fifth over, and he's been tidy without being too threatening so far. Pakistan have played him well, and they get another four singles there, the most notable of which was a little paddle sweep by Shafiq down to fine leg. We're going to see Yuvraj Singh now, and when his name was announced at the stadium the cheer from the crowd was loud enough to drown out that horrible Yahoo noise they play whenever there's a change of bowling. (NOTE TO YAHOO: DO YOU KNOW WHY EVERYONE USES GOOGLE NOW? BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A NOISE.)
OVER 18: PAK 80/2 Shafiq 16* Younus 2*
Nehra returns after an opening spell of four overs for 16. Shafiq shuffles across and flicks him uppishly through square leg, where they take a second run to the puffing Zaheer. The next ball is flicked again, but straight to Zaheer this time. A single for that, three off the over. Meanwhile, Nick Hoult tweets that the ECB have confirmed that Andrew Strauss will not return to cricket until Middlesex's match against Sri Lanka starting on May 16. Disappointment for Loughbourough University, then, who are scheduled to play a three-day match against Middlesex in ten days' time. He deserves his break, though, after the winter he's had. I suspect he's already been on Expedia this morning.
OVER 17: PAK 77/2 Shafiq 13* Younus 2*
Shafiq drives Harbhajan back over his head for four! It was a ferocious hit, but straight into the ground, so it wouldn't have been a catch. Zaheer at mid-off gazes forlornly at the ball as it races past him. Another single down to long on, and whether it's the new responsibility brought on by Hafeez's wicket or simply the fact that he's getting used to the conditions, Shafiq looks a mite more comfortable now after that queasy start. 184 needed from 33 overs. Don't ask me what the required rate is. It's five something. 5.6 or thereabouts.
OVER 16: PAK 72/2 Shafiq 8* Younus 2*
Actually, looking back at that delivery from Munaf, it was practically a wide outside off-stump, or at least it would have been if Hafeez had done virtually anything else but step across his stumps and try and sweep it. Genuinely. Anything. He could have mooned it, and he'd still be at the wicket now. Younis gets off the mark with a hasty two through the covers. Quite a few of you have pointed out that Prasad Bhat's prediction from Over 8 is looking spookily accurate so far. Shwetha Jain writes: "Can't believe the 50/1, 70/2 prediction is coming true. Indian bowlers doing a good job. Still there is a hope. This is the true beauty of India v Pakistan matches. The pressure is equal on both sides!"
WICKET! Mohammed Hafeez c Dhoni b Patel 43 (59) PAK 70/2
Oh, that's a huge wicket! A huge wicket! Hafeez loses his mind and surrenders his wicket in one of the meekest ways imaginable! It was a good length delivery outside off stump by Munaf, and Hafeez tried to sweep it. Let me repeat that for you. He tried to sweep it from outside off stump, over his shoulder, and ended up getting a thin piece of the ball. Easy catch for Dhoni, and Hafeez has thrown it down the well! The players take drinks as Younus Khan strides to the crease.
OVER 15: PAK 70/1 Hafeez 43* Shafiq 8*
Shafiq finally gets going! Filthy delivery from Harbhajan, short and wide, and crunched through the covers by Shafiq to break the tension. A slip and leg slip in for Harbhajan, and with a few gaps around, the batsmen take three more singles without too much trouble. Good over for Pakistan. What a fascinating contest this is shaping up to be. 23 off the fielding Powerplay, as the fielding restrictions are lifted.
OVER 14: PAK 63/1 Hafeez 41* Shafiq 3*
A maiden! Patel delivers a super over to Shafiq, who must be feeling the pressure in only his 16th ODI. He's sort of a Jonathan Trott figure at number three for Pakistan - solid technique, decent temperament, but he does take his sweet time about things. Patel beats him outside off stump as Shafiq prods at it, and then again as Shafiq tries to drive. After a fairly rambunctious start by Pakistan, India have successfully pulled them back. Pakistan have been fairly risk-averse so far, aware of the need to keep wickets in hand so as to make the eventual collapse far more dramatic. Always thinking of their public, Pakistan. The people's team.
OVER 13: PAK 63/1 Hafeez 41* Shafiq 3*
While Nick Hoult considers asking the stadium PA to put out a message for a Mr G Boycott of Barnsley, Harbhajan continues, with four singles coming from the over. Both batsmen fairly happy to play fairly straight, although Shafiq has half a second of alarm when his chip down to long-on flies perilously close to Harbhajan.
Nick Hoult on Twitter: "@Aggerscricket Aggers, could you please nudge Boycs and ask him to call me when he can? We need a column tonight and I cant get through to him"
OVER 12: PAK 59/1 Hafeez 39* Shafiq 1*
Short from Munaf. Pulled fine by Hafeez. Four! Another easy single through the covers, and it's five off the over. Hafeez has batted beautifully so far, but he really does need to go on. The required rate is still in the sort of area where it can climb quite quickly if the batsmen get bogged down. What Hafeez has managed so well so far is to keep the score moving. Shafiq's only had to face three balls since he came in.
OVER 11: PAK 54/1 Hafeez 34* Shafiq 1*
Ah ha ha ha ha, we're going to see some Harbhajan in the 11th over. He's a sight to watch, isn't he? Pirouetting in like the world's podgiest ballerina, the arm wheeling over like a trick of the light, the ball spinning and dipping and Harbhajan's hands invariably flying upwards to his turbanned head as the batsman prods at it uncertainly. It's that kind of over, really. Shafiq works the ball down to long-on to get off the mark, and then Hafeez gets a life as he chips the ball straight back to Harbhajan. That was around three inches away from being a return catch.
OVER 10: PAK 52/1 Hafeez 33* Shafiq 0*
Hafeez is looking increasingly like Pakistan's best chance of winning this game. That's another sensational shot, check-driven through extra cover for four with wonderful placement to beat Harbhajan at mid-off. This is controlled aggression by Hafeez, carefully selecting which ball to hit. But he almost goes there! It was the right ball to hit - a shorter one from Munaf, and Hafeez connects well with the pull shot, but it drops around three feet short of Zaheer at deep mid-wicket! If he's fully committed to it, Zaheer could probably have put the dive in and had a go, but he would have been risking a faceful of cricket ball if he'd done so. The ball bounces over his tumbling shoulder for four, and Pakistan's fifty comes up off 60 balls. Powerplay One ends; Dhoni takes the fielding Powerplay immediately.
OVER 9: WICKET! Kamran Akmal c Yuvraj b Zaheer 19 (21) PAK 44/1
Zaheer makes the breakthrough! Mohali comes to life! Dhoni brought Zaheer back to try and break this partnership, and he duly delivered! Kamran with a loose drive outside off stump - feeling for it, really - and Yuvraj takes the thick outside edge at gully. It went to him at a comfortable height, at a comfortable speed, and really not even a Pakistan player could have dropped that. Asad Shafiq is the new batsman.
OVER 8: PAK 43/0 Kamran 19* Hafeez 24*
Strewth, that's a good shot. Nothing at all wrong with that delivery from Nehra, on off stump and possibly around three inches short of a perfect length. But Hafeez simply turned his wrists on it and sent it flying in between mid-wicket and mid-on and away for four. In the air again, but Hafeez has the temperament to back himself, and the talent to pull it off a good deal of the time. He adds a single in a similar area. Now: a freakishly detailed prediction. "I enjoy your commentary," writes Prasad Bhat. "To win this formula for India is simple. 50/1, 70/2, 90/3, 90/4, 125/5. Bhajji is the key, ably assisted by sleepy Munaf." If that comes off, Prasad, you're either going to be revered as a visionary or hauled in front of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit.
OVER 7: PAK 38/0 Kamran 19* Hafeez 19*
Width from Munaf, and Hafeez cuts for four! Didn't bother trying to keep that one down, and that was a carbon copy of a shot he played against the West Indies a week ago. He's a stylish operator, Hafeez, an intelligent batsman who picks the gaps and manipulates the field. There he is, identifying and picking out one of the slowest fielders in the Indian team (sorry, Sachin, but you're not exactly Leroy Burrell, are you?) and taking a quick single to mid-off. And Kamran gets lucky off the last ball of the over! Tries the big booming drive, doesn't quite time it, but the ball sails in the air in between cover and mid-off, and away for four. Nine off the over to continue Pakistan's good start.
OVER 6: PAK 29/0 Kamran 15* Hafeez 14*
Just three runs off the last two overs, then, as Nehra finds a good, testing length. Not too straight either, so Hafeez has to pick and choose which ball to work to leg. He chooses the last, and gets a single.
REVIEW (Kamran Akmal)
Hafeez knocks the ball straight back down the pitch, Nehra gets fingers on it, and it thwacks straight into the stumps. Kamran looked to have got his bat down in time, but Ian Gould decides to have a look anyway, getting the crowd all excited and everything in the process. And Kamran did get his bat down. Not out.
OVER 5: PAK 28/0 Kamran 15* Hafeez 13*
Munaf Patel replaces Zaheer after just two overs. No swing, a fairly true pitch, and already the predictability of the Indian attack looks to be a factor. Whither Ravichandran Ashwin? But Patel almost snares Kamran third ball! It's short, Kamran swings his arms and tries to pull it for six, and it flies up in the air, just out of the reach of the two men running back! The batsmen jog back for a second run. Decent over by Munaf, fairly tight line, nothing much to drive.
OVER 4: PAK 26/0 Kamran 13* Hafeez 13*
Cracking shot by Hafeez, stroking Nehra through the covers for four. Both batsmen have been timing the ball expertly so far, which just shows how good the pitch is. It's pressure that will be Pakistan's biggest hurdle, you feel. Devyesh Patel, an Indian fan, writes: "I am very worried, as the pie-chucker Nehra will go for 10-15 an over. Recall 2003. Me and other fans will be subjected to some abuse and Dhoni needs to be wary that the BCCI are planning the next captain Mr Gambhir! Par score plus dew factor will have to wait and see my lunch is churning with nerves jangling." Rather lost its thread towards the end, that email. Still, many thanks, Dev. Loved you in Slumdog. Less so in Skins.
OVER 3: PAK 20/0 Kamran 12* Hafeez 8*
So, 260. Par? It looked a 300 pitch, and if India had held themselves together, they would have got that at least. Still, they were also staring 240 in the face at one stage. Kamran looks mightily comfortable, though. Zaheer comes round the wicket to him, and Kamran just leans on it, sending it through the covers for three runs. And that's lovely from Hafeez! Four runs! It looked like nothing more than a simple push off his legs, but it raced away like any number of things India and Pakistan have pointed at each other ('a tracer bullet', 'an Exocet', 'a US-made Patriot missile', etc). Hafeez pushes to mid-off and sets off for a run. Harbhajan could have him hurrying here if he picks up and hits, but he doesn't pick up. Kamran's next to come within half a second of running himself out, haring down the pitch and then scrambling to make his ground again as Tendulkar's throw narrowly misses. Nerves.
OVER 2: PAK 12/0 Kamran 9* Hafeez 3*
Nehra to share the new nut. Little more than medium pace really, and if he doesn't get it right on line, he's in danger of disappearing. Hafeez is off the mark, running it down to third man. Short now to Kamran, who doesn't connect properly with his pull shot but still gets one for it, behind square. Short again to Hafeez, who clips it off his hip - a little airily, and there was a speculative shout of catch as that left the bat - but he gets two runs down to deep square leg. End of the over. Peter Andre's 'Mysterious Girl' pounds over the PA system. In the dressing room, Shoaib Akhtar shakes his head sadly. He knows a little bit about mysterious girls, if his medical history is anything to go by...
OVER 1: PAK 8/0 Kamran 8* Hafeez 0*
Thanks, Mike. Hello, everyone. Oh, this is poised. A beautifully delicate situation at the halfway stage. Zaheer takes the new ball, bowling over the wicket to Kamran, who greets him with a punch through the covers for four! Zaheer responds well, a slightly slower one that keeps low, beats Kamran and grubs through to Dhoni. This opening Powerplay is going to be absolutely crucial. And such pressure! It's a pressure most of us can't even compute. Imagine bowling with 1.1 billion guns pointed at your head. Kamran finds the boundary again! Four more, driven straight back down the ground! Sure-footed start by Pakistan. One way or another, this is going to be a breathless evening.
14.15: Right, quick change out there - just a 25 minute break because of the over rate, and Hafeez and Akmal are back out there. I'm handing you over to fresh and fired-up Jonathan Liew. Thanks for the emails...
INDIA 260/9 off 50 overs. Pakistan require 261 to win and reach the World Cup final.
14.10: So how do you rate that Inida score of 260/13, eh? Not sure what they were thinking putting Kamran in charge of fielding practice, but there you have it. That's Pakistan, eh? Baffling, moody and terrifying - a premenstrual cricket team, if you will.
Amazing.
Some recent tweets:
Infostrada: Wahab Riaz became the first Pakistan player to take 5 wickets in a World Cup semi final and only the fourth player ever.
Shane Warne: Par score from India – Pakistan fought well – can they upset the local favourites ? Sleep time now – let me know result – close game.
Tim Bresnan: Ari Gold is my hero! The man is a genius.
Good old Bresser...
OVER 50 IND 260/9 Zaheer has a swing, but he's nicked it to Kakmal! Gone! And that's five wickets for Riaz.
WICKET!! Z Khan c †Kamran Akmal b Wahab Riaz 9. Riaz's down on his knees kissing the pitch and offering his prayers. What a day he's had – and to think Pakistan were considering bringing old Sho-pony back! And that's another wicket as the India innings peters out.
WICKET!! Nehra run out 1. Good from Akmal – gets the ball in his gloves and pings it back down to the non-striker's end, nice and composed and Nehra's comfortably out of his ground as Riaz whips off the bails. And there's two from the final ball for Raina – and that's that! India 260/9 off 50 overs. Raina 36* – could be a vital knock that...
OVER 49 IND 256/7 So penultimate over. Gul to Raina, and that's a top bit of fielding from Hafeez to cut off the boundary. Wonderful dive and snatch. Full toss from Gul – bunted over mid-on by Raina, but it's off the bottom of the bat and it's just a one. Gul will need a couple of tailend scalps here to massage his X-rated figures. But you ain't getting like that sunbeam, another full toss is hit well by Zak to long-off, but it's straight at the fielder. Good running as they get back from a couple – again off the low full toss. Raina's managed to smash his bat, and a new one's on its way out. It works too! That's four. Attempted yorker, but it's on leg stump and with fine leg up Raina's steers it to the fence. Can they get 270?
OVER 48 IND 246/7 Here's Wahab, after his five-fer. There's a cracking yorker first up which Raina just about squirts out for a single. Zaheer – who's shifting all over his crease and swinging wildly, gets a spooned two, and then slices one for four! All precious, precious runs, and India might just get 260 now. Could not be set up better.
OVER 47 IND 238/7 Ajmal now to Bhajji. And that's pretty ordinary. He's gone. Stumped by Akmal. Absolutely clueless.
WICKET!! Harbhajan Singh st (although to be honest, it could've been a run-out) Kamran Akmal b Saeed Ajmal 12 Brilliant from Ajmal. He was too good for Sachin earlier, and he's certainly too good for Harbhajn here. Went for the mahoosive swipe over cow – head up, expecting to see it sailing into the stands – and he's done by the doosra. Ajmal's done now – 2/44 of 10.
OVER 46 235/6 BIG OVER! Ohh that's class from Raina! Fantastic straight drive, lofted off Gul straight down toward the sight screen. Helluva shot. And that's four more! Full toss from Gul – who's had an absolute shocker of a day – and Raina drives that through cover for four.J just picked his gap. And four more! Bhajji this time. Gul's single-handedly keeping India in this game. 14 off the over.
That four from Harbhajan was India's first boundary in 15 overs
OVER 45 221/6 Four from Bhajji breaks the shackles! That's more like it. And suddenly it becomes apparent that there is, in fact, a crowd in there today. Good shout – swept from off stump behind square for four. Didn't look in complete control – he's all arms and elbows and angles – but his eye's pretty damn good. "I have never seen Indian batsmen bamboozled like this by the spinners" says Boycs on TMS. "And I've never seen Tendulkar dropped four times. They haven't seen Pakistan for a while and they've been caught out by the doosra bowling and by Afridi." He's right, too, I feel...
Andrew Holgate mails: "Isn't negative energy technically dark matter or the Higg's Boson? All that money spent on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN to find the God Particle and it was at the tip of your appendage all the time." Yeah, are you listening, haters?? It wasn't me wot jinxed it – the science man said so!
Here's the batting powerplay! If this goes pear-shaped then India really are doomed... (or as doomed as you can ever be against Pakistan).
OVER 44 213/6 Bit wild here from Riaz. Couple of leg side wides which Kakmal does ery well to stop going for five wides. Nothing batsh*t crazy about Kakmal there (see over 25-ish). Wow, have just realised there's only six overs left! Terrible second half to the innings from India, this...
OVER 43 207/6 What are India doing out there! There's a horrible mix-up in the middle, and though Raina survives – he needed a full length dive mind you – it's clear the pressure is getting to them. Not getting to Afridi though – he's loving it, absolutely revelling in this moment. And thinking clearly too – there's two slips in for Bhajji. "Mike," mails Sunaina. "I agree with Archana. "You did cast a negative energy towards our beloved Sachin." My hands – and indeed whatever appendages one needs to emit negative energy – are clean.
OVER 42 205/6 Dhoni hit in front by Riaz! And he's given by Taufel! He's going to review it.....but Dhoni's walking! And the skipper goes!
WICKET!! Dhoni lbw b Wahab Riaz 25. IND 205/6. Brilliant from Riaz again – he's given them all the hurry up today. And that's his fourth wicket. Four for 27 in a World Cup semi. Just brilliant. You can see why Dhoni reviewed that – it pitched just in line, but Taufel, again, was spot on. And you think Dhoni knew it really, he was pretty quick to start trudging off. What a game. Are Pakistan favourites now? Long-ish tail, India, remember. And it is quiet out there now. Wow. Time for Bhajji.
OVER 41 203/5 Ajmal again, and just three off the over. 1/31 off his 7. Bowled a bit better than that, to be fair.
OVER 40 200/5 Afridi up with a huge appeal after he drifts one into Dhoni's pads. Big shout! Afridi's up on his toes, arms flailing, staring at the ump with his back to the bowler and back-pedalling towards Dhoni with delicate, slightly mincing little steps. Not out. But they're reviewing it! Still not out.
Archana says "You jinxed Sachin's hundredth hundred (gosh, I am having an incredible feeling even in just writing it!) by constantly mentioning it! Boooooo!!" Nonsense, Archana! Think I mentioned it sparingly, given the monumentalness of the achievement, and it's proximity. Think I did all I can to insure it happened actually – much like Pakistan's fielders.
OVER 39 195/5 Another good over from Ajmal – probably the pick of the bowlers so far. "It's definitely a 300 pitch" says Sanjay Manjrekar on TMS.
OVER 38 189/5 Raina in now to join Dhoni. What are India looking at here, now? 270? My OBO compadre Jonny Liew tweets: "Been spending the last hour putting together a stats package for Tendulkar's 100th hundred. That's the seventh and last time I'm deleting it."
OVER 37 187/5 Sachin goes this time! F.I.N.A.L.L.Y! And it's Afridi who takes the catch himself.
WICKET! Tendulkar c Shahid Afridi b Saeed Ajmal 85 IND 187/5 I haven't heard a silence like that since Botham and Chappelli were stuck in the lift together. Have to say that is the worst 85 I've ever seen the great man play. Never looked comfortable against the spinners, which suggests it's going to be a touch pitch to chase on, obviously. Because if SRT can't play the spinners on here then most will struggle, it's fair to say. Damn shame he didn't get there, really, but Mumbai? In the final?
OVER 36 185/4 Well, we may as well start celebrating that Sachin hundred now, no? If he offers a catch Pakistan will drop it, if he's out leg before it'll get overturned. He needs to protect his stumps – I'm not sure how he'd survive being bowled – but I'm sure he can manage that. Good stuff from Afridi, though – tight over. He must be FURIOUS with his fielders.
OVER 35 182/4 SACHIN DROPPED A-GAIN! It's Umar Akmal this time! Oh no. Well, whatever happens now, they are going to have to answer some horrible questions after this game, if you know what I mean. This was a backfoot whip off the stumps and he didn't get it properly and it goes high to Umar at mid-on, who got a hand to it. And again, down it went.
We've had a ball change.
OVER 34 177/4 Right, we've had a quick drink (water for me, thanks. Driving) and it's Gul to Sachin, who's on 76. He's averaging about 19 runs per dropped catch, so you'd think Pakistan might get another chance before he gets to That Mythical Hundredth Hundred. Gul oversteps again – and that's a free hit for Sachin! He walks across his stumps and tries to scoop it down to fine leg, but it's just a thigh pad thump out to the leg-side for a single. Rather wonderfully, Werner – he of the batsh*t crazy gem, has now invited me to go wine tasting in Franschoek! Wine, sun, batsh*t, I'm there! "Dear sir. I have nothing to say," mails Waheedullah Stanikzai, encouragingly. "I hope India win."
OVER 33 173/4 Two runs now from the Hafeez over. It's almost like they're content to play him out. And this is Pakistan's opening bat.
Tom Godrey asks."Do you think Kamran Akmal behaves in the same way around the house? I like to think so. Kids not doing their homework? "Shabash shabash shabash! Homewoooork!" Breakfast not on the table quick enough? Kamran whacks his thighs and claps his gloves together. "Breakfaaast! Shabash shabash shaBAAASH!" I'm not sure what good old Batsh*t Crazy gets up to in the kitchen. Dropping plates, probably.
OVER 32 171/4 Gul couldn't find a security guard who'd let him sneak quietly out of a side exit and he's back on to bowl. Bit of reverse will help him of course. And you don't have to field when you're bowling, which will appeal as well. He's better this spell, one from the over. "Mike, do you speak Afrikaans?" mails Werner, rhetorically. “Kak Mal” means “batsh*t crazy” in the language here in SA. Cannot possibly be a coincidence". Comfortably the best email I've ever received, that.
OVER 31: 170/4 Two off the Hafeez over. Dhoni sweeps well for one but there's nothing really to hit. Certainly no width. SRT 75. Dhoni 12.
OVER 30: 168/4 Sachin dropped again! Afridi could've had him three times! It's a more understandable drop this time – good old Kakmal – but Afridi's hands are still on his head. Drew the edge by beating ST in the flight. Defensive push, really and a genuine edge which hit Kakmal on the knee. Oh, no. That makes it worse. Four for Sachin, cut away through point. Shot.
OVER 29: 161/4 Hafeez again on the money. One from the over. Nice combination Afridi's got going here with Riaz and Hafeez – not many picked this pair as Pakistan's match-winners but they're doing brilliantly thus far.
"Pray tell me", mails Narendra Nayak. "Are you biased in favour of Pakistan". Two hours in and that's the first bias-related mail. Good. I'm happy with that. But yes Nayak, totally, utterly biased. Down with India!
OVER 28: 160/4 Gul's day from hell continues with a comedy slide and fumble at fine leg which turns a routine leg glance from Sachin into four. Really poor. And the crowd and giving him plenty down there, poor sap. "Yuvraj Singh," tweets someone statty: "Was out for golden duck for only the 2nd time in ODIs and the 1st in 10 years (since v Kenya in 2001)"
OVER 27: 150/4 Hafeez's bowling is a little oasis of sanity in this nuthouse of a game. There's four for Dhoni – edged, unconvincing, but Hafeez is tidy and dangerous. "To compensate for Nehra’s pie chucking India need 300," mails Devjesh Patel. Not sure they'll get them Dev...
OVER 26: IND 145/4 Silence....which means wicket. But not THAT wicket. Kohli goes!
WICKET! Kohli c Umar Akmal b Wahab Riaz 9 IND 141/3 A catch – finally – at backward point. Poor shot, just guided to the fielder.
AND ANOTHER!! TWO IN TWO. YUVAJ GOES!
WICKET! Yuvraj Singh b Wahab Riaz 0 141/4 First ball is bang on target and Yuvraj loses his middle peg. Low full toss and he just fell over in his crease and is done all ends up. So much for the hometown hero act. Dhoni's in now in full crisis mode – and he plays and misses first ball! Almost the hat-trick. And there's four now for Dhoni! What an over. Game on. Sachin should really be long gone by now, remember as well.
OVER 25: IND 141/2 Halfway then, and Pakistan would be right in this if they could catch. Hafeez is going nicely – but this pair pick up five from that over, without any real alarms.
OVER 24: IND 136/2 Riaz is back. Kohli plays a vile waft outside off which prompts Afridi to bring a slip in, with good reason. Tendulkar gets inside the line and uppercuts one down to third man. Stylish shot, just for one though. Shows you how good the deck is, how consistent the bounce is.
OVER 23: IND 133/2 Kohli prodding his way in. Hafeez has bowled well, finding a bit of turn but it's his length which has been really impressive. Rahul mails: '"Are you worried about how the young players in your side are going to cope?" Afridi was asked. "After this match," he replied, "we will all be old men anyway." How can you not like him'. You're right, Rahul – was a great quote. SRT 57 Kohli 4
OVER 22: IND 130/2 That's 50 for Sachin. A streakier half-century you're unlikely to see from one so gilded. In fairness, he brings his 50 up with a lovely lofted shot over the head of cover off Afridi. Got inside out and levered it over the head of Younis. And there's four more, brilliantly, beautifully, cut down to the third man. Hit that so late. Class.
OVER 21: IND 120/2 So that's four lives, now for Sachin. Incredible. Hafeez's over is tidy. Just going to be an absolute thriller this, isn't it. You can tell. Spinners have been brilliant. Makes you wonder about the wisdom of Dhoni's decision to leave out Ashwin, doesn't it?
OVER 20 IND 119/2 Sachin's dropped again! What are Pakistan doing? Sachin miscues a drive and it's into the hands of Younis at cover. It's a tough-ish chance – hand to jump and hands above his head. But it's takeable. Poor drop. That's twice Afridi should have had his man. So Younis dropping catches and Akmal taking stumpings – whodathunkit?
OVER 19 IND 116/2 Gambhir goes! Stumped off Hafeez!
WICKET! Gambhir st Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Hafeez 27. IND 116/2. Oh well bowled – Gambhir beaten all ends up. Came down to the offie but backed out of the big shot and just tried to get something on it, but Hafeez pushed it a little wider, and dragged it a little shorter, and Akmal did the rest. Pretty unlucky mode of dismissal – stumped K Akmal – and a setback for India who were starting to looking more settled.
OVER 18 IND 114/1 Afridi's bowling well – getting that drift and dip which makes him so difficult to work square of the wicket. Sachin picks up four more with a chipped, straight drive which should really have been cut off. Poor. Boycott on TMS: It's the first time I've not seen Sachin pick the bowling.
OVER 17 IND 110/1 Hafeez on now, and there's four for Gambhir. My word he plays that cut shot well. Can't give him any width whatsoever. GG 26 SRT 39
OVER 16 IND 102/1 Afridi continues, and he's hard as ever to get away. But that's India's hundred! Significant base this, with hometown boy Yuvraj and the rest still to come. "Sitting here in Queensland looking for somewhere to follow the cricket and found your blog," mails Ian Heydon. "The Australian reporting is pathetic – all about Ponting and Clarke when there is actually a very important and very intriguing cricket game happening (politically, socially and sportingly)." Hear you Ian. The Pup and Punter handover has been drearily predictable hasn't it...
OVER 15 IND 99/1 That's more like it, Sachin. Sweeps Ajmal for four fine – all touch and timing. And there's four more! Edged this time, but no slips in place. Ajmal's getting the better of him here, without a shadow of doubt. Afridi needs to keep him on, and give him a slip. That would have dropped straight into first slip's lap.
OVER 14 IND 90/1 Afridi to Sachin – and he's dropped! Pulled it to midwicket and Misbah has binned it! What a chance. Having said that, the great man looks like a walking wicket at the moment. Amazing change in temperature since the spinners came on – Tendulkar could have been out three times in four overs! Time for drinks break...
"Hi Mike", mails Asma Ahmed. Hello Asma. "I am a maths teacher and teaching and watching at the same time. every 60 sec when the score is refreshed I stop my teaching. Not easy being at work today." I won't tell you which school Asma's at, in case your kids are there. But I'm sure the bits between the breaks are good...
OVER 13 IND 84/1 Ajmal's back on – bowling really well – and I'm not entirely such that Sach is picking his doosra. Good over spoiled with a sixth ball which is just a touch too short and allows Gambhir to cut it deftly, stylishly for four.
OVER 12 IND 79/1 Afridi makes his entrance now into this utterly captivating game. Tendulkar's watchful against the Pakistani captain, who most teams have found pretty-much unplayable thus far. Three singles off the over. Derek Pringle: "Even technology fears giving tendulkar out in India."
OVER 11 IND 76/1 Ajmal to Gambhir, and that's a leg-side wide. Bit of turn, is there? Not much. But hang on! Tendulkar's trapped in front, huge shout, and Gunner Gould has triggered him! But it's been turned down on review! Wow. Tendulkar looked dead there, to the naked eye, and nearly didn't even go for the replay. But he went upstairs eventually and it was overturned – missing leg-stump on the replay. That is interesting, really interesting, because both Athers and Sunil Gavaskar on the commentary were convinced that was out and there was a sharp intake of breath when it was overturned. A genuine shock. And mutterings, indeed. And now there's a stumping appeal! Kamran Akmal has whipped off the bails as Tendulkar lunges forward! This will go upstairs as well....it's close! But Tendulkar is JUST home. Foot was up, but the toe came down. By inches. What an over. Brilliant doosra from Ajmal, by the way, which caused the stumping chance.
Rob Key: 'Unbelievable. That looked stone dead on Sachin'.
Pakistan have taken the bowling powerplay, and it's Ajmal to continue...
OVER 10 IND 73/1 Pakistan have pulled it back a touch, but Riaz is punished when he strays onto the pads of Sachin. Four leg-byes. And that's the powerplay done. "Arrogant review from Sehwag," tweets Nick Hoult. "Didn't consult Tendulkar. All about the individual."
OVER 9 IND 68/1 Gul's hauled off – got the big build-up before this game and has bloused it up completely to be fair. Ajmal comes on, and starts well against Gambhir, there's a nudge for two and a single to keep the strike.
OVER 8 IND 65/1 Tendulkar takes eight off the over without breaking sweat. There's that effortless back-foot punch/clip through off which looks like it's going for one and then flies over the rope in the blink of an eye. Then there's four more – just gorgeous – with a square drive on one knee. An absolute privilege to watch. 77 needed for his 100th hundred for India.
OVER 7 IND 57/1 Time to catch the breath. Gul, who'll be even happier than Riaz about the fall of that wicket, nips one across Gambhir dangerously. Tendulkar, who was humbly happy to play second fiddle to Sehwag, flicks Gul for four with a delicate leg glance. And there's three more, just pushed through the covers. Amazing grace that he shows in giving Sehwag -essentially a younger, flashier tribute act – the strike early on, isn't it? You can't imagine Keith Richards letting Ronnie Wood play the intro to Satisfaction, can you?
OVER 6 IND 49/1 Riaz to Sehwag – hits him in front. Given out! We're going for the review.....and it's upheld! Sehwag goes!
WICKET! Sehwag lbw b Wahab Riaz 38. IND 48/1 What a start from Riaz. Slowed the rate, and stuffed a daffodil in the end of Sehwag's shotgun. A quite mesmeric innings comes to an end, and full credit to Afridi for the bowling change. Switched the angle of attack with the left armer Riaz, and Sehwag couldn't adjust. Went straight up for the review, Sehwag, who was jumping up when he was hit. Just trying to work it off his pads. Poor review, actually, because a) it was Taufel b) he didn't even asked Sachin whether the ball pitched in line. Which it did.
OVER 5 IND 47/0 That's just brilliant from Sehwag. Wrists like you would not believe. Takes this one from off stump? Maybe just outside? And it's whipped through midwicket with incredible power. And finally there's the bouncer! Good one, too, and Sehwag ducks under it.They have to mix it up and ball short. That's the Aussie tactic. But don't bowl short AND wide! Uppercut for four to end the over. Razzaq's having a blow – Riaz gets the nod. Need to work on your hiding, Wahab son. This is not the time to come on first change...
Crytal Lundt is a New Indian Supporter: "I am a South African, currently at work (supposed to be working hard), but am logging on and reading the commentary every 10 minutes. I'm still shell-shocked about SA's defeat. Walked around the whole weekend in an absolute daze, I still can't believe we lost!!!!
OVER 4 IND 39/0 Razzaq gets the treatment now. Plants his front foot and smashes it through cover. Cracker. And Afridi's taken both slips out now. No choices I guess. This is damage limitation already. Now Sachin joins in. Awww man that's just a great shot. Full, flowing cover drive on the up. Placed perfectly, obv. Best opening partnership you will ever see.
Steven Finn: 'Sehwag looks like he's on a mission here! Changethefieldeveryball.com.' Good gags for a big man!
OVER 3 IND 27/0 Gul strays, and Sehwag tucks in. Just a touch too straight and the punishment is penal. There's four crashed high and handsome over the rope at midwicket. And four more, gentler this time, just clipped off his pads but still with expert timing, beating the man at fine leg comfortably. And four more! Aaah that's poor from Umar, just feeding that Sehwag clip and it's an identikit boundary past fine leg's left hand. And four more! Carnage! Gul goes outside off, trying to keep it off the pads and Sehwag just waits for the slower ball to reach him....and slaps it past point for four. Dismissive. AND FOUR MORE! FROM A BLOODY NO BALL! Gul's lost it completely. Oversteps and it's just a juicy half volley, which Sehwag smites through extra cover for four. 21 off the over – and that's including a dot ball from the free hit! Sehwag 25 Sachin 1
Steve Walters: "All this chat about Tendulkar vs Bradman, and who is the best of all time. How can you possibly leave Viv Richards out of the debate ??? Even Botham was quoted as saying he found it hard to believe there has ever been a better batsman than the great man from the West Indies....." Fair point, although I'm not sure 'Even Botham' will win you many cricket arguments in my house...
OVER 2 IND 6/0 Oof! Scare for Sachin as he scurries through for a single, as Riaz gathers and offloads. Just misses. A run-out there wouldn't have gone hugely well. Good start for Pakistan though, lively in the field and a decent line from both openers.
OVER 1 IND 4/0 Sehwag's off and running with a gorgeous four through the covers. Wow. Took him two balls more than he usually takes to get that first boundary, but just typical Sehwag, no foot movement, perfect timing, elegant flow of the arms, and a noise like a rifle shot. steady start from Gul – everything on off stump or thereabouts, and there's a pretty packed off-side field. Good pace from Gul, forcing Sehwag onto the back foot. It'll be Razzaq from t'other end. No spin first and this pair. Wise.
Vikram Mangla reckons: India would've been better to play sreesanth as both nehra and munaf patel were struggling. If India were to take gamble, I think Sree's selection would have been better. Well, not too sure about that Vikram. I'd be slightly worried that Sree would spontaneously combust with hypertension if you put him in a game like this. Agree about Munaf and Nehra though.
0959: Here come the boys. Sehwag taking guard and will take the first cherry from....Umar Gul, I think. Destructive against everyone, Sehwag. Particularly savage against Pakistan though, over the years. Yep, Gul with the new nut. Two slips in. Very green looking deck. Whatever grass is there has been rolled in though.
Simon Hughes: Nos 6 & 7 crucial on each team. Raina & Dhoni v Umar & Afridi. India have the better combination.
0955: Anthems! Not exactly Six Nations style tear-jerkers, you have to say, but we'll be at it soon enough. Trying not to focus on the politics today, but It's the first meeting of the two heads of state since the Mumbai massacres in 2008. Dignitaries are shaking hands with both teams – Afridi's got a massive smile on his face. Dhoni and Sachin look cool as a cucumber yogurt dip.
0950: Ashwin decision is "stunning", according to Rahul Nayyar in my inbox. We'll see when India bowl whether Dhoni's messed that one up. It's India's batting first, and the greatest opening partnership of all time, Sachin and Sehwag. In fact, it's quite hard to imagine I'll ever see a greater opening partnership in my lifetime. OK, anthem time. Manmohan Singh, the Indian PM is shoulder to shoulder with Zardari, the Pakistani president in the posh seats. Extraordinary stuff.
Kevin Pietersen: I think after seeing who's batting first, India to win if they score 260.
0947: The Analyst, of course, is completely right about the toss. 10 of the day-nighters in Mohali have been won by the side batting first. Dew-related difficulties, you see.
0935: India have dropped Ashwin, their lanky spinner, and brought in Ashish Nehra. Pakistan are unchanged, so no Shoaib.
Simon Hughes: Unbelievable decision by India to prefer Nehra (ave 56 in last 10 games) to the excellent Ashwin. But great toss to win for India.
India: V Sehwag, SR Tendulkar, G Gambhir, V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni*†, SK Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, MM Patel, A Nehra
Agree with those teams? Big call to bring back Nehra – Ashwin's bowled great but Dhoni obviously figures he's either a) too green for this match, which seems a little odd given that he opened the bowling against Australia b) not as likely to trouble the Pakistani batsmen.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal†, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi*, Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajma
0930: OK HERE WE GO....Afridi. Coin. Toss. Tail......India will bat!
0925: Weather still set fair. Hot and humid, but no thunder. Here's a few emails before the toss...
"Cricket is not the national game of India and Pakistan. Can anyone guess what it is?" says Rahul Nayyar. Easy. Rugby league. Next? "I love my Pakistani cricket team," says Asim Khan. "We have done very well to get to this stage and God-willing we will defeat India today. All the best to both sides, may the best team win." Aaah.
Gurinder Grewal says: "Sorry to hear about Derek Pringle being kicked out of his hotel," so is he Gurinder, let me tell you. "It amazes me that every time Indian bureaucracy has a chance to make India shine, it manages to get some sort of negative publicity or a black spot of some sort."
0905: Here's my two rupee's worth on today, before we get distracted by news and teams and whatever.
1. There has to fairly decent chance that this game could be a massive disappointment. The Pakistan side that beat Australia and annihilated West Indies is capable of beating India. The Pakistan crushed by New Zealand is capable only of beating itself.
2. Even if Good Pakistan show up, however, India should still have the edge. Their experience alone is a huge advantage. Five of India’s starting line-up played in the 2003 World Cup final in Jo’burg, and two more played in the T20 victory over Pakistan at the same ground four years later. These players haven’t been kept beyond their sell-by dates, though. Of India’s senior players, only Bhajji appears to be past his best. For many of them – Tendulkar, Dhoni, Sehwag, Yuvraj, Zaheer Khan, Gambhir – this game comes at the perfect moment. They are ready.
3. Dhoni is right to be worried about his attack (Munaf in particular). But the comparative weakness of India’s bowling is offset by the depth and dynamism of their batting.
4. The Pakistani spinners that devastated West Indies will surely find India’s middle order an entirely different prospect, particularly now Suresh Raina has replaced Yusuf Pathan.
Simon Hughes: "Times of India has exceeded itself with 12 different comment pieces from former international players. More columns than the Parthenon..."
0903: Shoaib, apparently, has been bowling in the nets this morning. He's a contender for Pakistan. Certainly wouldn't be rattled by the occasion. If he plays, Wahab Riaz will probably miss out, but can Afridi really gamble on his fitness? Dhoni's got choices to make too, not least about the participation of Munaf Patel, who seems to have got worse with every game.
0850: Teams, toss and the rest as soon as we have it. Before then, why not ping us a mail. where are you, what are you reckoning etc. Or unload a memory or two? Ever been to an Indo-Pak game?
First, some gentle scene-setting:
Chandigarh is unlike any other Indian city. Designed by Le Corbusier, the controversial French architect and urban planner, the Punjab state capital is divided into uniform ‘Sectors’ of 800 by 1200 metres. Its wide roads are separated by carefully-tendered gardens, making life in the city feel calm and orderly. Boring, even. Can't imagine Sector 64, in the south-western suburb of Mohali, will feel boring this morning, however. Indeed, when yer man Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar walks out to open the batting this morning, I’m not sure a cricket ground anywhere in the world will have heard a noise quite like it.
0835: Good afternoon India, good afternoon Pakistan, and hello diaspora, wherever you are diasporing. This humble live blog will do its damnedest today to capture to true scale of this "Moon-Landing Match". Failing that, we will definitely bring you the scores and print some emails.
The good news this morning is that it's not raining in Mohali. What sounded like a ripple of thunder across south Asia this morning was actually Telegraph Cricket Correspondent Derek Pringle being kicked out of his hotel in Chandigarh this morning because "government bigwigs" needed the room.
If it's important enough to kick Pringle out of a hotel room, it must be quite a game, eh folks?
Required reading:
Simon Hughes says is thinking the unthinkable and arguing that "Sachin is better than Bradman". That's some big talk. But he backs it up rather well. And when you think about it, he's not Ian Ward is better than Bradman, is he?
Simon Briggs has a tale of the tape type preview-thing.
And Geoffrey Boycott (try kicking him out of hotel room, jobsworth!) says Captain Cool MS Dhoni is just the man for a ludicrously overblown occasion. Read the CWC Email here ...
18.23 Bowling figures: Five bowlers, two wickets each. You can't say fairer than that. Zaheer 2/58; Nehra 2/33; Munaf 2/40; Harbhajan 2/43; Yuvraj 2/57.
The Analyst on Twitter: "Well played India, but they will need to improve in certain areas (and pick Ashwin) to win the tournament." Bolton Wanderers's Kevin Davies on Twitter: "Does anyone anyone else think Sachin Tendulkar looks like Usher?!?!"
@jai_reddevil on Twitter: "@kevindaviesbwfc not even close dude, WTF!!!"
18.20 Here's Bhajji! "We bowled really well, fielded really well and deserved the win today. Really excited to be going to Mumbai to play the final in front of my second home crowd. I play for the Mumbai Indians." Oh, do let's leave the IPL out of this.
18.17 Oh, the noise! Oh, the delirium! A distraught Shahid Afridi leads his team onto the field to shake hands with the Indians. It was the match neither side dared to lose, and at the end it's Pakistan staring into the abyss. It'll be India to face Sri Lanka in Saturday's final at Mumbai - the first ever all-Asian final in the World Cup.
WICKET! Misbah-ul-Haq c Kohli b Zaheer 56 (76) PAK 231 all outINDIA WIN BY 29 RUNS
It's over! India are into the final! Misbah was trying to leather everything, but instead hit four balls in a row straight to fielders. The fifth ball he made contact with, but sent it high, high, high, and after an interminable wait, the ball dropped into the hands of Kohli at long on!
OVER 49: PAK 231/9 Misbah 56* Ajmal 1*
OVER 48: PAK 224/9 Misbah 49* Ajmal 1*Zaheer charges in to try and finish things. Instead, he tosses in five wides down the leg side! It's not going to help Pakistan win, though. Shahid Afridi stares despondently into blank space on the Pakistan balcony, inadvertently getting himself out a couple more times as he does so. Misbah's finally decided that trying to string a few boundaries together might not be a bad thing, and he finally connects with one, sending the ball scooting through the covers for four. Cover goes back onto the boundary. Misbah strikes the ball out towards him, and again turns down the single. And now he strikes a stunning clean blow over mid-on for six! Where was this Misbah when the required rate was six an over? Where was this Misbah for the first 42 balls of his innings, the time it took him to score his first boundary, or possibly even attempt one? Misbah will attempt to get a single off the last, and he does, although it was a fairly hairy one down to mid-off, and Misbah would actually have been run out if the throw had hit the stumps. William Porter writes: "So, Martin Luther King over Afridi and I have to agree. But Gladstone or Disraeli?" Oh, Disraeli any day of the week. Gladstone was a pompous, pious, boring windbag. Disraeli was witty, urbane, irresistibly interesting. And, of course, he hated Gladstone. Asked to distinguish between a misfortune and a calamity, he replied: "If Gladstone fell into the Thames, that would be a misfortune. If someone pulled him out, that would be a calamity." 37 needed off 12 balls.
OVER 47: PAK 210/9 Misbah 40* Ajmal 1*"My big thank you for this service," writes Akhil Kumar Deshpandey. "I am sitting in my workplace in Canada getting updates of this wonderful and very exciting match." I've never really thought of this as a service before. Does that mean we're now going to get cut by the Coalition? Little political joke there, for our foreign readers. Other countries revolt. We make snarky comments and visit Fortnum and Mason. Ajmal gets off the mark down to third man, Misbah pushes a single to mid-on, and then another single down to third man is turned down so that Misbah can retain the strike. 51 needed off 18 balls.
WICKET! Umar Gul lbw b Nehra 2 (3) PAK 208/9Full and straight, and clattering into the stumps! Gul chanced his arm on a review, but it didn't save him! India finishing this in style! Saeed Ajmal the new batsman, and he couldn't find the right end of a cricket bat if you gave him two goes.
OVER 46: PAK 208/8 Misbah 39* Gul 2*
Well, there's a cheering sight for Pakistan fans. Misbah clips Zaheer off his pads, through mid-wicket for four. It's pretty much tip and run now, but India will be perfectly happy with singles. Misbah clips the last straight to Raina at square leg, sets off nevertheless before being sent back by Gul, and a direct hit would have finished him. End of the over, eight runs from it, and Pakistan need 53 from 24 balls. Zaheer will clearly bowl out from this end; Nehra and Munaf will clearly bowl out from the other, and it's going to be Nehra to bowl the 47th.
OVER 45: PAK 200/8 Misbah 32* Gul 0*
Right, so now five overs of Powerplay. Can Pakistan get 61 runs from them? Or 60 for the tie? If they had wickets in hand and possibly a couple of big hitters at the crease, there'd still be something in this game. As it is, they've got Umar Gul, a bowler, and Misbah-ul-Haq, a man apparently unaware that he has a large bat in his hands with which to beat the flying the red thing he appears so preoccupied with. 61 off 30 balls.
WICKET! Wahab Riaz c Tendulkar b Nehra 8 (14) PAK 199/8Sachin does the catchin'! Nehra had bowled a masterful over to Riaz, yorkers and bouncers and wide ones that flashed past the swishing bat as the batsman backed away. Four dot balls in a row, and then another wide full one. A huge slash by Riaz, the ball went miles in the air, paused, and the picked out the most famous man in India, unless you count Derek Pringle. Last rites for Pakistan, who really will be kicking themselves about the way they let things slip in the middle overs. Umar Gul is the new batsman.
OVER 44: PAK 199/7 Misbah 31* Riaz 7*Harbhajan's now coming in from round the wicket, firing darts at middle stump. And Misbah spots his quicker one and reverse paddles it for four! Clever shot, that. Billie Jean blares over the speakers. "Used to captain a Billie Jean at Charterhouse, actually. Decent little off-spinner." Seven off the over, and Pakistan need 62 off 36 balls. Still no Powerplay, which means it will have to be taken at the end of this over, which will be bowled by Nehra. Harbhajan finishes with 2/43 off his set of 10. Charles Rycroft writes: "Admitting to knowing more than one Disraeli story AND dating the Balkan Crisis to 1878 suggests you are either a Very Old Man and/or read history prior to Wisden." It's the latter, I'm afraid.
OVER 43: PAK 192/7 Misbah 27* Riaz 6*
Nehra with a fine over, restricting the batsmen to little tickles off the pad. But then Riaz backs away as Nehra fires it in on leg stump, and whips it away through straight mid-wicket for four! Astonishing shot! A wide, and then a rushed single off the last, and that over costs eight. Pakistan need 69 more to win off 42 balls at a shade under ten an over, but it's the wickets tally that really stands in India's favour.
OVER 42: PAK 184/7 Misbah 26* Riaz 0*
Pakistan's dream looks to be over. You can see it on the faces of the Pakstani players in the dressing room, and you can see it in the body language of the Indians as well. They knew that Afridi was the only man who could wrench this game out of their grasp. Now he's gone, you can't see where Pakistan are going to find 77 in 48 balls. Especially given that since he came in, Misbah-ul-Haq has regarded an attacking stroke in much the same way as Sourav Ganguly might regard a Ginsters pasty.
WICKET! Shahid Afridi c Sehwag b Harbhajan 19 (17) PAK 184/7The end is nigh! Afridi was looking for the big hit, but that wasn't the ball to slog over the leg-side. It was a full toss well outside off stump, and Afridi's premeditated slog flew straight up in the air, dropping straight into the mitts of Sehwag at cover! That's got to be it! Pakistan still well short, and India are into the tail! Wahab Riaz to the wicket with 77 needed off 49 balls.
OVER 41: PAK 181/6 Misbah 25* Afridi 17*Afridi digs a yorker out to square leg for one. Misbah then flicks to fine leg for one more. Afridi then clubs the ball ferociously straight to mid-on, he hit that so hard that he can't get a single, even though the man was on the very edge of the circle. Misbah then drives the ball straight back to Zaheer. Norrish tweets: "If Afridi pulls this off he will replace Richie Benaud as My Favourite Ever Person..." Mine's Martin Luther King. Perspective, Mike. Perspective. Just four off that over, and Pakistan need 80 off 54 balls. Harbhajan returns, and still no sign of the Powerplay.
OVER 40: PAK 177/6 Misbah 23* Afridi 15*
Misbah hits his first boundary off his 43rd ball! It's been a long time coming, but that's actually a very neat shot, getting down and reverse sweeping past the man in the circle, and away for four. He tries a repeat next ball, but gets only a single. Then comes Afridi's catch-that-wasn't - single for that - and then a couple more singles. Afridi's throwing his arms at everything now. If you presented him with an antique Ming Dynasty vase, he'd study it quizzically for a couple of seconds before raising his bat and smashing it into a million pieces. Last 10 overs, and Pakistan need 84. Zaheer to continue, and he could finish this here and now if he finds his range. Yuvraj finishes his spell of 10 overs, all bowled on the trot, for figures of 2/57.
REVIEW (Afridi)
Afridi bashes it out to deep mid-wicket, but Nehra's waiting! He dives forward, but did he catch it? From his body language, he's not sure... and the replay's not going to conclude anything other than 'it might have bounced, but then again, it might not'. So Afridi stays. Not out.
OVER 39: PAK 168/6 Misbah 17* Afridi 12*
Zaheer returns, and Misbah is still defending. He plays out a couple of dot balls. What on earth is he waiting for? That reminds me of one of my favourite Disraeli stories. He was at some posh dinner during the Balkan Crisis of 1878, when Britain was dithering about getting involved. Suddenly one of his female dining companions turned to him and burst out: "For heaven's sake, Mr Disraeli, what are you waiting for?" Disraeli replied impassively: "At this moment, madam, the potatoes." Classic Disraeli. Five from the over, 93 required off 11.
OVER 38: PAK 163/6 Misbah 16* Afridi 9*
Misbah takes a couple through cover and then a single to turn the strike over. Yuvraj pitches it up to Afridi, who smashes it over cover for four! What a shot! Stupendous power from Afridi, who follows the boundary up with two twos through mid-wicket. Eleven off the over. I'd echo Mike Atherton and take the batting Powerplay now. Afridi is the one man who can use it. Of course he risks getting out, but Afridi always risks getting out. That's the way he rolls. He doesn't leave the dressing room until 90 seconds after a wicket has fallen, just for the adrenalin rush of almost getting timed out. The other morning he was out while having a shower.
OVER 37: PAK 152/6 Misbah 13* Afridi 1*
A couple of singles, but a super over by Munaf. Pakistan need 109 from 13 overs.
WICKET! Abdul Razzaq b Patel 3 (9) PAK 150/6Well bowled! Wonderfully bowled! Munaf comprehensively stitches up Razzaq, sending down a crafty leg cutter that Razzaq tries to work to leg but moves away off the pitch and clips the off stump! India getting closer and closer, as the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi comes in. He's the last hope, but he's been in no kind of form with the bat.
OVER 36: PAK 148/5 Misbah 11* Razzaq 3*Oh, these two-run overs are killing Pakistan, blow by numbing blow. Michael Atherton advises Pakistan to take the batting Powerplay now. He's rarely wrong. Nate Bailey writes: "I agree with Jim O'Brien. I don't understand cricket. I have several colleagues in India though who shared this link with me. I have been reading the commentary and it makes me want to learn more... it sounds intense!" If you think this is tense, you should try the CB40 final.
OVER 35: PAK 146/5 Misbah 10* Razzaq 2* Munaf Patel continues from the Sightscreen End. "Just pass this message to my fellow India players," writes Anshu Agarwal, who I strongly doubt is an India player. "CHAK DE INDIA. BE PROUD TO BE ONE." I'll be sure to pass that on to MS if I bump into him in the Gents. Misbah blocks a straight one from Munaf. Just steps across and blocks it. What on earth is he playing at when his team need almost eight an over? Eventually he does knock a single into the off-side, but he's on a painful 10 off 30 balls. He can explode, as India themselves found out during the World Twenty20 a few years back, but playing yourself in, in anticipation of a stunning late blitz is a huge gamble. The nuclear option, you might say, if there weren't an actual, literal nuclear option.
OVER 34: PAK 144/5 Misbah 9* Razzaq 1*
"Akmal is gone and with that the hopes of Pakistan, hopefully," announces Saurav Ganguly in the commentary box. Impartiality? Pah! How long before he taunts Pakistan with a chant of "World Cup and you ----ed it up"? More than seven an over needed now.
WICKET! Umar Akmal b Harbhajan 29 (24) PAK 142/5First ball after drinks! That could be the ball game! Again, India take a wicket just when they needed one! Harbhajan comes round the wicket and fires the first one in a good deal quicker than his stock delivery. Akmal doesn't pick it until it's too late, and as he tries to work the ball to leg, the ball clips the outside of off stump, to a yelp of joy from Dhoni behind the stumps! The new batsman comes in, but it's not Shahid Afridi. It's Abdul Razzaq. Handy partnership of 36 off 45, but Pakistan needed it to be more. 119 to win, with overs fast running out.
Drinks. And another email from Nuthalapadi Balaji: "All the Indians in Canary Wharf (and there are several hundred, perhaps thousands, of them in the many offices here) are following the match on their monitors, all work laid aside for the day - pools of excitement in offices as they gather around for every wicket. Puzzled looks among all the other workers unused to this for anything apart from football..." The way I gauge the size of an occasion is from the volume of emails I get. At the moment, this game is rivalling England v Germany, the final day of the Ryder Cup and Richard Keys and Andy Gray's first show for Talksport in terms of email traffic. OVER 33: PAK 142/4 Misbah 8* Akmal 29*Munaf's back. Akmal may have loosened his shoulders, but Misbah's still getting a little bogged down. After Akmal chops a single off the first ball of the over, Misbah wastes precious deliveries driving the ball straight at fielders and then chasing a wide, swinging delivery and finding nothing but fresh air. Jim O'Brien in Florida writes, with a good deal of alacrity if nothing else: "I have never watched a cricket match, and have no idea what most of what you are typing means. But it's clearly exciting stuff for you and knowledgeable fans, so I watch the number move towards 261 as I think I understand that much." This might seem like a strange question, Jim, but would you like a job as chairman of the ECB?
OVER 32: PAK 141/4 Misbah 8* Akmal 28*"I can't help but think Raina's innings was worth its weight in gold," writes Chanthiran Inthirarajah. "Pakistan are facing the pressure of the run rate now." Dhoni perseveres with Yuvraj, giving him his seventh over on the (lack of) bounce. And that's more like it from Akmal, cutting Yuvraj from off the stumps and getting his little legs motoring to scramble back for a second run. And that's six! A wondrous strike from Akmal, straight back over Yuvraj's head and into the sightscreen! Yuvraj pulls his length back, and Akmal can cut an easy single. Nine off the over.
OVER 31: PAK 132/4 Misbah 8* Akmal 19*
Nehra maintains a good line, offering the odd single into the leg side but nothing more. Two off the over. These two need to do a better job of knocking the singles and hustling the twos. Too many shots going straight to fielders, and the Pakistani running is putting themselves rather than the fielders under pressure. 129 to win from 19 overs. It really would be a heist if Pakistan could pull it off, but has anyone seen who's coming in next? It's only a Mr B. B. Afridi. This one's not over yet, not by a long leg.
OVER 30: PAK 130/4 Misbah 7* Akmal 18*
Akmal dances down the pitch and lofts Yuvraj over cover for four runs! The first boundary in 13 overs, and desperately needed by Pakistan. The run rate's hefty, but not unmanageable yet, as long as Pakistan can break the back of it at some stage. And now Akmal goes over mid-wicket! Six runs! Fabulous shot! Just a touch short from Yuvraj, and Akmal simply threw everything at it, practically wrenching it over the infield, and over the rope. A couple of singles complete a good over for Pakistan, who are now halfway to their target at the 30-over stage. If they had one or two more wickets in hand, you'd make this an even game. As it is, these two and the lower order somehow have to muster 131 from 120 balls under the utmost pressure.
OVER 29: PAK 118/4 Misbah 6* Akmal 7*It's getting harder for Pakistan. Just one off that over as Nehra returns. The noise level is rising here. Well, in the stadium, but here too. People are glancing at TV screens, barely even pretending to work. India sense they've got their man on the ropes here, though, and are straining every joint in search of a new breakthrough. Vikram Singh Chauhan writes: "Could you ask Prasad Bhat what was the name of my first dog? If he can answer that correctly, he's a mystic with unmatched powers. If he can't, he's fixing the match." Over to you, Prasad...
OVER 28: PAK 117/4 Misbah 6* Akmal 6*
Now, is this a run out? Calamitous running by Umar Akmal after a sweep by Misbah. Akmal turned at the end of his second run and wanted a third, coming about halfway down the pitch before realising his partner was not reciprocating. The ball came back to Dhoni, who immediately fired the ball at the other end with Akmal really struggling, but Yuvraj dislodged the bails with his hands rather than the ball, and Akmal survives. For all the super batting and bowling so far today, some of the fielding's been worthy of an office game.
OVER 27: PAK 112/4 Misbah 3* Akmal 4*Misbah and Akmal make a good fist of the reconstruction effort, knocking six runs off Harbhajan's over. Struggled with his length a little there, Harbhajan, dropping a couple short and offering the batsmen easy ones and twos. Prithvi Karthikeyan describes the mood in Chennai: "I was at work in London when India beat Oz and followed the match with you (and as I try to follow winning routines, I'm doing it again) - now I'm at home in Madras and hopefully Mumbai for the big week. Every screen has the match on and my parents are so stressed about the result they are taping as it is simply too emotionally charged. The whole country is in suspense - restaurants shut, doctors are out - you can smell everyone bleeding blue!"
OVER 26: PAK 106/4 Misbah 1* Akmal 0*Yuvraj completes a wicket maiden, and some of his bowling this tournament has been a real rejoinder to those who reckon he's just a routine part-time trundler whose only use is to get Kevin Pietersen out. He's really developed his flight and thinks hard about his trajectory, and he's successfully out-thought far more patient batsmen than Pietersen. Like Younus Khan, for example. Nic Kieft writes: "Not to be outdone by Dallas, following you here in a very sunny southwest Florida. The design for a new car park at the airport has been put to one side. Hope India wins."
WICKET! Younus Khan c Raina b Yuvraj 13 (32) PAK 106/4The pendulum swings further towards India! Yuvraj frustrates Younus with a magician's touch, holding the ball back, pushing it through, and when he holds one back, Younus is suckered into the drive, spooning it up for Raina at extra cover! He takes the catch comfortably above his head with both hands. Pakistan really up against it now. Umar Akmal the new batsman, with the run rate heading north quickly.
OVER 25: PAK 106/3 Younus 13* Misbah 1*
This is a crucial partnership for Pakistan. These two are the most experienced batsmen remaining. Three singles off that over, and a shout of alarm from Harbhajan as Misbah gets an inside edge onto the pad and just short of the man at leg slip.
OVER 24: PAK 103/3 Younus 11* Misbah 0*Misbah, a late bloomer at international level - he's actually 36 - blocks his first ball. Now. What a moment this is. Pakistan have stagnated just a little, and that run rate is just creeping up. Usman Haider from Pakistan (he doesn't say whereabouts) writes: "I'm uber-excited. Streets are literally empty and I feel like a criminal wasting my time emailing. But you are doing great keeping up with the match. I can definitely see my team is passionate, considering there might be around two or three people cheering for Pakistan in the crowd, the rest is all India." You can tell how few Pakistan fans there are in the crowd, actually. Whenever Pakistan score a boundary, the TV director always cuts to the same bunch of cheering Pakistan fans. Or, as I suspect, the only bunch of cheering Pakistan fans.
WICKET! Asad Shafiq b Yuvraj 30 (39) PAK 103/3Middle stump! Out of the ground! India strike again at a crucial time! It was a straight, good length ball from Yuvraj, and Shafiq simply took a bit of a liberty with it, backing away, trying to cut off the back foot when he should have been on the front foot, and losing his middle stump as the ball clattered into the top of it. Misbah-ul-Haq comes in at a challenging time. Another wicket and India would be right on top here.
OVER 23: PAK 100/2 Shafiq 29* Younus 9*
More sloppy fielding, this time by the substitute Chawla at square leg, allowing Younis a single. Shafiq then picks up a couple of twos, and it's a good over by Pakistan, milking Zaheer for six runs and reaching their hundred in the process. Whisper it, but I think Prasad Bhat's time in the sun may well be over. 161 to win off 27 overs, and we're almost at a run a ball now.
OVER 22: PAK 94/2 Shafiq 24* Younus 8*We've got an email from Dallas. "Thanks for doing an awesome job," writes Vinutha Thallam. "I woke up this morning and Googled... guess what? I found your link. Sitting in my office and reading your online commentary is making my day go so well so far. I am all for India team to WIN! GO TEAM INDIA!" Well, quite. Not sure I'm doing an 'awesome' job, though. Nurses, firefighters, the complaints department at O2. They're the real heroes. Yuvraj bowls a fine over, excellent control of flight and line, and there's just a single off it. By the way, who started humming the Dallas theme tune as soon as they read the word 'Dallas'? Next over, I bring you an email from a U. Bulgaria of Wimbledon Common.
OVER 21: PAK 93/2 Shafiq 23* Younus 8*
Zaheer Khan, a man who rivals Graeme Swann for first-over breakthroughs, is restored by Dhoni with Pakistan 172 short of victory. Younus drives his second ball wide of mid-off for a single. Khan then strays onto Shafiq's pads, and gets flicked away pleasantly for two runs. Quick single off the last, and Harbhajan at mid-off fumbles again! Not sure how tight that would have been, but that's the second sloppy bit of handiwork under pressure by Harbhajan so far. Tried to gather the ball like a child wearing oven gloves.
OVER 20: PAK 89/2 Shafiq 20* Younus 7*
Yuvraj's first ball bears the unmistakeable hallmark of a man whose level of physical exertion so far today has been modest at best. He was out first ball, remember, and as for practice - well, here's a man who refers to fielding practice as 'Haribo time'. It's a horrible half-tracker that he gets away with, really, Younus pulling the ball mightily but straight to Zaheer at deep square leg. He gets it sorted, though, and four more singles result from the over. We're approaching 90, the score at which Mystic Prasad of Bhat predicted two wickets would fall. The police are watching, Prasad.
OVER 19: PAK 84/2 Shafiq 18* Younus 4*
Harbhajan comes in to bowl his fifth over, and he's been tidy without being too threatening so far. Pakistan have played him well, and they get another four singles there, the most notable of which was a little paddle sweep by Shafiq down to fine leg. We're going to see Yuvraj Singh now, and when his name was announced at the stadium the cheer from the crowd was loud enough to drown out that horrible Yahoo noise they play whenever there's a change of bowling. (NOTE TO YAHOO: DO YOU KNOW WHY EVERYONE USES GOOGLE NOW? BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A NOISE.)
OVER 18: PAK 80/2 Shafiq 16* Younus 2*Nehra returns after an opening spell of four overs for 16. Shafiq shuffles across and flicks him uppishly through square leg, where they take a second run to the puffing Zaheer. The next ball is flicked again, but straight to Zaheer this time. A single for that, three off the over. Meanwhile, Nick Hoult tweets that the ECB have confirmed that Andrew Strauss will not return to cricket until Middlesex's match against Sri Lanka starting on May 16. Disappointment for Loughbourough University, then, who are scheduled to play a three-day match against Middlesex in ten days' time. He deserves his break, though, after the winter he's had. I suspect he's already been on Expedia this morning.
OVER 17: PAK 77/2 Shafiq 13* Younus 2*
Shafiq drives Harbhajan back over his head for four! It was a ferocious hit, but straight into the ground, so it wouldn't have been a catch. Zaheer at mid-off gazes forlornly at the ball as it races past him. Another single down to long on, and whether it's the new responsibility brought on by Hafeez's wicket or simply the fact that he's getting used to the conditions, Shafiq looks a mite more comfortable now after that queasy start. 184 needed from 33 overs. Don't ask me what the required rate is. It's five something. 5.6 or thereabouts.
OVER 16: PAK 72/2 Shafiq 8* Younus 2*Actually, looking back at that delivery from Munaf, it was practically a wide outside off-stump, or at least it would have been if Hafeez had done virtually anything else but step across his stumps and try and sweep it. Genuinely. Anything. He could have mooned it, and he'd still be at the wicket now. Younis gets off the mark with a hasty two through the covers. Quite a few of you have pointed out that Prasad Bhat's prediction from Over 8 is looking spookily accurate so far. Shwetha Jain writes: "Can't believe the 50/1, 70/2 prediction is coming true. Indian bowlers doing a good job. Still there is a hope. This is the true beauty of India v Pakistan matches. The pressure is equal on both sides!"
WICKET! Mohammed Hafeez c Dhoni b Patel 43 (59) PAK 70/2Oh, that's a huge wicket! A huge wicket! Hafeez loses his mind and surrenders his wicket in one of the meekest ways imaginable! It was a good length delivery outside off stump by Munaf, and Hafeez tried to sweep it. Let me repeat that for you. He tried to sweep it from outside off stump, over his shoulder, and ended up getting a thin piece of the ball. Easy catch for Dhoni, and Hafeez has thrown it down the well! The players take drinks as Younus Khan strides to the crease.
OVER 15: PAK 70/1 Hafeez 43* Shafiq 8*
Shafiq finally gets going! Filthy delivery from Harbhajan, short and wide, and crunched through the covers by Shafiq to break the tension. A slip and leg slip in for Harbhajan, and with a few gaps around, the batsmen take three more singles without too much trouble. Good over for Pakistan. What a fascinating contest this is shaping up to be. 23 off the fielding Powerplay, as the fielding restrictions are lifted.
OVER 14: PAK 63/1 Hafeez 41* Shafiq 3*
A maiden! Patel delivers a super over to Shafiq, who must be feeling the pressure in only his 16th ODI. He's sort of a Jonathan Trott figure at number three for Pakistan - solid technique, decent temperament, but he does take his sweet time about things. Patel beats him outside off stump as Shafiq prods at it, and then again as Shafiq tries to drive. After a fairly rambunctious start by Pakistan, India have successfully pulled them back. Pakistan have been fairly risk-averse so far, aware of the need to keep wickets in hand so as to make the eventual collapse far more dramatic. Always thinking of their public, Pakistan. The people's team.
OVER 13: PAK 63/1 Hafeez 41* Shafiq 3*
While Nick Hoult considers asking the stadium PA to put out a message for a Mr G Boycott of Barnsley, Harbhajan continues, with four singles coming from the over. Both batsmen fairly happy to play fairly straight, although Shafiq has half a second of alarm when his chip down to long-on flies perilously close to Harbhajan.
Nick Hoult on Twitter: "@Aggerscricket Aggers, could you please nudge Boycs and ask him to call me when he can? We need a column tonight and I cant get through to him" OVER 12: PAK 59/1 Hafeez 39* Shafiq 1*
Short from Munaf. Pulled fine by Hafeez. Four! Another easy single through the covers, and it's five off the over. Hafeez has batted beautifully so far, but he really does need to go on. The required rate is still in the sort of area where it can climb quite quickly if the batsmen get bogged down. What Hafeez has managed so well so far is to keep the score moving. Shafiq's only had to face three balls since he came in.
OVER 11: PAK 54/1 Hafeez 34* Shafiq 1*
Ah ha ha ha ha, we're going to see some Harbhajan in the 11th over. He's a sight to watch, isn't he? Pirouetting in like the world's podgiest ballerina, the arm wheeling over like a trick of the light, the ball spinning and dipping and Harbhajan's hands invariably flying upwards to his turbanned head as the batsman prods at it uncertainly. It's that kind of over, really. Shafiq works the ball down to long-on to get off the mark, and then Hafeez gets a life as he chips the ball straight back to Harbhajan. That was around three inches away from being a return catch.
OVER 10: PAK 52/1 Hafeez 33* Shafiq 0*
Hafeez is looking increasingly like Pakistan's best chance of winning this game. That's another sensational shot, check-driven through extra cover for four with wonderful placement to beat Harbhajan at mid-off. This is controlled aggression by Hafeez, carefully selecting which ball to hit. But he almost goes there! It was the right ball to hit - a shorter one from Munaf, and Hafeez connects well with the pull shot, but it drops around three feet short of Zaheer at deep mid-wicket! If he's fully committed to it, Zaheer could probably have put the dive in and had a go, but he would have been risking a faceful of cricket ball if he'd done so. The ball bounces over his tumbling shoulder for four, and Pakistan's fifty comes up off 60 balls. Powerplay One ends; Dhoni takes the fielding Powerplay immediately.
OVER 9: WICKET! Kamran Akmal c Yuvraj b Zaheer 19 (21) PAK 44/1Zaheer makes the breakthrough! Mohali comes to life! Dhoni brought Zaheer back to try and break this partnership, and he duly delivered! Kamran with a loose drive outside off stump - feeling for it, really - and Yuvraj takes the thick outside edge at gully. It went to him at a comfortable height, at a comfortable speed, and really not even a Pakistan player could have dropped that. Asad Shafiq is the new batsman.
OVER 8: PAK 43/0 Kamran 19* Hafeez 24*Strewth, that's a good shot. Nothing at all wrong with that delivery from Nehra, on off stump and possibly around three inches short of a perfect length. But Hafeez simply turned his wrists on it and sent it flying in between mid-wicket and mid-on and away for four. In the air again, but Hafeez has the temperament to back himself, and the talent to pull it off a good deal of the time. He adds a single in a similar area. Now: a freakishly detailed prediction. "I enjoy your commentary," writes Prasad Bhat. "To win this formula for India is simple. 50/1, 70/2, 90/3, 90/4, 125/5. Bhajji is the key, ably assisted by sleepy Munaf." If that comes off, Prasad, you're either going to be revered as a visionary or hauled in front of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit.
OVER 7: PAK 38/0 Kamran 19* Hafeez 19*
Width from Munaf, and Hafeez cuts for four! Didn't bother trying to keep that one down, and that was a carbon copy of a shot he played against the West Indies a week ago. He's a stylish operator, Hafeez, an intelligent batsman who picks the gaps and manipulates the field. There he is, identifying and picking out one of the slowest fielders in the Indian team (sorry, Sachin, but you're not exactly Leroy Burrell, are you?) and taking a quick single to mid-off. And Kamran gets lucky off the last ball of the over! Tries the big booming drive, doesn't quite time it, but the ball sails in the air in between cover and mid-off, and away for four. Nine off the over to continue Pakistan's good start.
OVER 6: PAK 29/0 Kamran 15* Hafeez 14*
Just three runs off the last two overs, then, as Nehra finds a good, testing length. Not too straight either, so Hafeez has to pick and choose which ball to work to leg. He chooses the last, and gets a single.
REVIEW (Kamran Akmal)
Hafeez knocks the ball straight back down the pitch, Nehra gets fingers on it, and it thwacks straight into the stumps. Kamran looked to have got his bat down in time, but Ian Gould decides to have a look anyway, getting the crowd all excited and everything in the process. And Kamran did get his bat down. Not out.
OVER 5: PAK 28/0 Kamran 15* Hafeez 13*
Munaf Patel replaces Zaheer after just two overs. No swing, a fairly true pitch, and already the predictability of the Indian attack looks to be a factor. Whither Ravichandran Ashwin? But Patel almost snares Kamran third ball! It's short, Kamran swings his arms and tries to pull it for six, and it flies up in the air, just out of the reach of the two men running back! The batsmen jog back for a second run. Decent over by Munaf, fairly tight line, nothing much to drive.
OVER 4: PAK 26/0 Kamran 13* Hafeez 13* Cracking shot by Hafeez, stroking Nehra through the covers for four. Both batsmen have been timing the ball expertly so far, which just shows how good the pitch is. It's pressure that will be Pakistan's biggest hurdle, you feel. Devyesh Patel, an Indian fan, writes: "I am very worried, as the pie-chucker Nehra will go for 10-15 an over. Recall 2003. Me and other fans will be subjected to some abuse and Dhoni needs to be wary that the BCCI are planning the next captain Mr Gambhir! Par score plus dew factor will have to wait and see my lunch is churning with nerves jangling." Rather lost its thread towards the end, that email. Still, many thanks, Dev. Loved you in Slumdog. Less so in Skins.
OVER 3: PAK 20/0 Kamran 12* Hafeez 8*
So, 260. Par? It looked a 300 pitch, and if India had held themselves together, they would have got that at least. Still, they were also staring 240 in the face at one stage. Kamran looks mightily comfortable, though. Zaheer comes round the wicket to him, and Kamran just leans on it, sending it through the covers for three runs. And that's lovely from Hafeez! Four runs! It looked like nothing more than a simple push off his legs, but it raced away like any number of things India and Pakistan have pointed at each other ('a tracer bullet', 'an Exocet', 'a US-made Patriot missile', etc). Hafeez pushes to mid-off and sets off for a run. Harbhajan could have him hurrying here if he picks up and hits, but he doesn't pick up. Kamran's next to come within half a second of running himself out, haring down the pitch and then scrambling to make his ground again as Tendulkar's throw narrowly misses. Nerves.
OVER 2: PAK 12/0 Kamran 9* Hafeez 3*
Nehra to share the new nut. Little more than medium pace really, and if he doesn't get it right on line, he's in danger of disappearing. Hafeez is off the mark, running it down to third man. Short now to Kamran, who doesn't connect properly with his pull shot but still gets one for it, behind square. Short again to Hafeez, who clips it off his hip - a little airily, and there was a speculative shout of catch as that left the bat - but he gets two runs down to deep square leg. End of the over. Peter Andre's 'Mysterious Girl' pounds over the PA system. In the dressing room, Shoaib Akhtar shakes his head sadly. He knows a little bit about mysterious girls, if his medical history is anything to go by...
OVER 1: PAK 8/0 Kamran 8* Hafeez 0*
Thanks, Mike. Hello, everyone. Oh, this is poised. A beautifully delicate situation at the halfway stage. Zaheer takes the new ball, bowling over the wicket to Kamran, who greets him with a punch through the covers for four! Zaheer responds well, a slightly slower one that keeps low, beats Kamran and grubs through to Dhoni. This opening Powerplay is going to be absolutely crucial. And such pressure! It's a pressure most of us can't even compute. Imagine bowling with 1.1 billion guns pointed at your head. Kamran finds the boundary again! Four more, driven straight back down the ground! Sure-footed start by Pakistan. One way or another, this is going to be a breathless evening.
14.15: Right, quick change out there - just a 25 minute break because of the over rate, and Hafeez and Akmal are back out there. I'm handing you over to fresh and fired-up Jonathan Liew. Thanks for the emails...
INDIA 260/9 off 50 overs. Pakistan require 261 to win and reach the World Cup final.
14.10: So how do you rate that Inida score of 260/13, eh? Not sure what they were thinking putting Kamran in charge of fielding practice, but there you have it. That's Pakistan, eh? Baffling, moody and terrifying - a premenstrual cricket team, if you will.
Amazing.
Some recent tweets:
Infostrada: Wahab Riaz became the first Pakistan player to take 5 wickets in a World Cup semi final and only the fourth player ever. Shane Warne: Par score from India – Pakistan fought well – can they upset the local favourites ? Sleep time now – let me know result – close game. Tim Bresnan: Ari Gold is my hero! The man is a genius. Good old Bresser...
OVER 50 IND 260/9 Zaheer has a swing, but he's nicked it to Kakmal! Gone! And that's five wickets for Riaz.
WICKET!! Z Khan c †Kamran Akmal b Wahab Riaz 9. Riaz's down on his knees kissing the pitch and offering his prayers. What a day he's had – and to think Pakistan were considering bringing old Sho-pony back! And that's another wicket as the India innings peters out. WICKET!! Nehra run out 1. Good from Akmal – gets the ball in his gloves and pings it back down to the non-striker's end, nice and composed and Nehra's comfortably out of his ground as Riaz whips off the bails. And there's two from the final ball for Raina – and that's that! India 260/9 off 50 overs. Raina 36* – could be a vital knock that... OVER 49 IND 256/7 So penultimate over. Gul to Raina, and that's a top bit of fielding from Hafeez to cut off the boundary. Wonderful dive and snatch. Full toss from Gul – bunted over mid-on by Raina, but it's off the bottom of the bat and it's just a one. Gul will need a couple of tailend scalps here to massage his X-rated figures. But you ain't getting like that sunbeam, another full toss is hit well by Zak to long-off, but it's straight at the fielder. Good running as they get back from a couple – again off the low full toss. Raina's managed to smash his bat, and a new one's on its way out. It works too! That's four. Attempted yorker, but it's on leg stump and with fine leg up Raina's steers it to the fence. Can they get 270?
OVER 48 IND 246/7 Here's Wahab, after his five-fer. There's a cracking yorker first up which Raina just about squirts out for a single. Zaheer – who's shifting all over his crease and swinging wildly, gets a spooned two, and then slices one for four! All precious, precious runs, and India might just get 260 now. Could not be set up better.
OVER 47 IND 238/7 Ajmal now to Bhajji. And that's pretty ordinary. He's gone. Stumped by Akmal. Absolutely clueless.
WICKET!! Harbhajan Singh st (although to be honest, it could've been a run-out) Kamran Akmal b Saeed Ajmal 12 Brilliant from Ajmal. He was too good for Sachin earlier, and he's certainly too good for Harbhajn here. Went for the mahoosive swipe over cow – head up, expecting to see it sailing into the stands – and he's done by the doosra. Ajmal's done now – 2/44 of 10. OVER 46 235/6 BIG OVER! Ohh that's class from Raina! Fantastic straight drive, lofted off Gul straight down toward the sight screen. Helluva shot. And that's four more! Full toss from Gul – who's had an absolute shocker of a day – and Raina drives that through cover for four.J just picked his gap. And four more! Bhajji this time. Gul's single-handedly keeping India in this game. 14 off the over.
That four from Harbhajan was India's first boundary in 15 overs
OVER 45 221/6 Four from Bhajji breaks the shackles! That's more like it. And suddenly it becomes apparent that there is, in fact, a crowd in there today. Good shout – swept from off stump behind square for four. Didn't look in complete control – he's all arms and elbows and angles – but his eye's pretty damn good. "I have never seen Indian batsmen bamboozled like this by the spinners" says Boycs on TMS. "And I've never seen Tendulkar dropped four times. They haven't seen Pakistan for a while and they've been caught out by the doosra bowling and by Afridi." He's right, too, I feel...
Andrew Holgate mails: "Isn't negative energy technically dark matter or the Higg's Boson? All that money spent on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN to find the God Particle and it was at the tip of your appendage all the time." Yeah, are you listening, haters?? It wasn't me wot jinxed it – the science man said so! Here's the batting powerplay! If this goes pear-shaped then India really are doomed... (or as doomed as you can ever be against Pakistan).
OVER 44 213/6 Bit wild here from Riaz. Couple of leg side wides which Kakmal does ery well to stop going for five wides. Nothing batsh*t crazy about Kakmal there (see over 25-ish). Wow, have just realised there's only six overs left! Terrible second half to the innings from India, this...
OVER 43 207/6 What are India doing out there! There's a horrible mix-up in the middle, and though Raina survives – he needed a full length dive mind you – it's clear the pressure is getting to them. Not getting to Afridi though – he's loving it, absolutely revelling in this moment. And thinking clearly too – there's two slips in for Bhajji. "Mike," mails Sunaina. "I agree with Archana. "You did cast a negative energy towards our beloved Sachin." My hands – and indeed whatever appendages one needs to emit negative energy – are clean.
OVER 42 205/6 Dhoni hit in front by Riaz! And he's given by Taufel! He's going to review it.....but Dhoni's walking! And the skipper goes!
WICKET!! Dhoni lbw b Wahab Riaz 25. IND 205/6. Brilliant from Riaz again – he's given them all the hurry up today. And that's his fourth wicket. Four for 27 in a World Cup semi. Just brilliant. You can see why Dhoni reviewed that – it pitched just in line, but Taufel, again, was spot on. And you think Dhoni knew it really, he was pretty quick to start trudging off. What a game. Are Pakistan favourites now? Long-ish tail, India, remember. And it is quiet out there now. Wow. Time for Bhajji. OVER 41 203/5 Ajmal again, and just three off the over. 1/31 off his 7. Bowled a bit better than that, to be fair.
OVER 40 200/5 Afridi up with a huge appeal after he drifts one into Dhoni's pads. Big shout! Afridi's up on his toes, arms flailing, staring at the ump with his back to the bowler and back-pedalling towards Dhoni with delicate, slightly mincing little steps. Not out. But they're reviewing it! Still not out.
Archana says "You jinxed Sachin's hundredth hundred (gosh, I am having an incredible feeling even in just writing it!) by constantly mentioning it! Boooooo!!" Nonsense, Archana! Think I mentioned it sparingly, given the monumentalness of the achievement, and it's proximity. Think I did all I can to insure it happened actually – much like Pakistan's fielders. OVER 39 195/5 Another good over from Ajmal – probably the pick of the bowlers so far. "It's definitely a 300 pitch" says Sanjay Manjrekar on TMS.
OVER 38 189/5 Raina in now to join Dhoni. What are India looking at here, now? 270? My OBO compadre Jonny Liew tweets: "Been spending the last hour putting together a stats package for Tendulkar's 100th hundred. That's the seventh and last time I'm deleting it."
OVER 37 187/5 Sachin goes this time! F.I.N.A.L.L.Y! And it's Afridi who takes the catch himself.
WICKET! Tendulkar c Shahid Afridi b Saeed Ajmal 85 IND 187/5 I haven't heard a silence like that since Botham and Chappelli were stuck in the lift together. Have to say that is the worst 85 I've ever seen the great man play. Never looked comfortable against the spinners, which suggests it's going to be a touch pitch to chase on, obviously. Because if SRT can't play the spinners on here then most will struggle, it's fair to say. Damn shame he didn't get there, really, but Mumbai? In the final? OVER 36 185/4 Well, we may as well start celebrating that Sachin hundred now, no? If he offers a catch Pakistan will drop it, if he's out leg before it'll get overturned. He needs to protect his stumps – I'm not sure how he'd survive being bowled – but I'm sure he can manage that. Good stuff from Afridi, though – tight over. He must be FURIOUS with his fielders.
OVER 35 182/4 SACHIN DROPPED A-GAIN! It's Umar Akmal this time! Oh no. Well, whatever happens now, they are going to have to answer some horrible questions after this game, if you know what I mean. This was a backfoot whip off the stumps and he didn't get it properly and it goes high to Umar at mid-on, who got a hand to it. And again, down it went.
We've had a ball change.
OVER 34 177/4 Right, we've had a quick drink (water for me, thanks. Driving) and it's Gul to Sachin, who's on 76. He's averaging about 19 runs per dropped catch, so you'd think Pakistan might get another chance before he gets to That Mythical Hundredth Hundred. Gul oversteps again – and that's a free hit for Sachin! He walks across his stumps and tries to scoop it down to fine leg, but it's just a thigh pad thump out to the leg-side for a single. Rather wonderfully, Werner – he of the batsh*t crazy gem, has now invited me to go wine tasting in Franschoek! Wine, sun, batsh*t, I'm there! "Dear sir. I have nothing to say," mails Waheedullah Stanikzai, encouragingly. "I hope India win."
OVER 33 173/4 Two runs now from the Hafeez over. It's almost like they're content to play him out. And this is Pakistan's opening bat.
Tom Godrey asks."Do you think Kamran Akmal behaves in the same way around the house? I like to think so. Kids not doing their homework? "Shabash shabash shabash! Homewoooork!" Breakfast not on the table quick enough? Kamran whacks his thighs and claps his gloves together. "Breakfaaast! Shabash shabash shaBAAASH!" I'm not sure what good old Batsh*t Crazy gets up to in the kitchen. Dropping plates, probably. OVER 32 171/4 Gul couldn't find a security guard who'd let him sneak quietly out of a side exit and he's back on to bowl. Bit of reverse will help him of course. And you don't have to field when you're bowling, which will appeal as well. He's better this spell, one from the over. "Mike, do you speak Afrikaans?" mails Werner, rhetorically. “Kak Mal” means “batsh*t crazy” in the language here in SA. Cannot possibly be a coincidence". Comfortably the best email I've ever received, that.
OVER 31: 170/4 Two off the Hafeez over. Dhoni sweeps well for one but there's nothing really to hit. Certainly no width. SRT 75. Dhoni 12.
OVER 30: 168/4 Sachin dropped again! Afridi could've had him three times! It's a more understandable drop this time – good old Kakmal – but Afridi's hands are still on his head. Drew the edge by beating ST in the flight. Defensive push, really and a genuine edge which hit Kakmal on the knee. Oh, no. That makes it worse. Four for Sachin, cut away through point. Shot.
OVER 29: 161/4 Hafeez again on the money. One from the over. Nice combination Afridi's got going here with Riaz and Hafeez – not many picked this pair as Pakistan's match-winners but they're doing brilliantly thus far.
"Pray tell me", mails Narendra Nayak. "Are you biased in favour of Pakistan". Two hours in and that's the first bias-related mail. Good. I'm happy with that. But yes Nayak, totally, utterly biased. Down with India! OVER 28: 160/4 Gul's day from hell continues with a comedy slide and fumble at fine leg which turns a routine leg glance from Sachin into four. Really poor. And the crowd and giving him plenty down there, poor sap. "Yuvraj Singh," tweets someone statty: "Was out for golden duck for only the 2nd time in ODIs and the 1st in 10 years (since v Kenya in 2001)"
OVER 27: 150/4 Hafeez's bowling is a little oasis of sanity in this nuthouse of a game. There's four for Dhoni – edged, unconvincing, but Hafeez is tidy and dangerous. "To compensate for Nehra’s pie chucking India need 300," mails Devjesh Patel. Not sure they'll get them Dev...
OVER 26: IND 145/4 Silence....which means wicket. But not THAT wicket. Kohli goes!
WICKET! Kohli c Umar Akmal b Wahab Riaz 9 IND 141/3 A catch – finally – at backward point. Poor shot, just guided to the fielder. AND ANOTHER!! TWO IN TWO. YUVAJ GOES!
WICKET! Yuvraj Singh b Wahab Riaz 0 141/4 First ball is bang on target and Yuvraj loses his middle peg. Low full toss and he just fell over in his crease and is done all ends up. So much for the hometown hero act. Dhoni's in now in full crisis mode – and he plays and misses first ball! Almost the hat-trick. And there's four now for Dhoni! What an over. Game on. Sachin should really be long gone by now, remember as well. OVER 25: IND 141/2 Halfway then, and Pakistan would be right in this if they could catch. Hafeez is going nicely – but this pair pick up five from that over, without any real alarms.
OVER 24: IND 136/2 Riaz is back. Kohli plays a vile waft outside off which prompts Afridi to bring a slip in, with good reason. Tendulkar gets inside the line and uppercuts one down to third man. Stylish shot, just for one though. Shows you how good the deck is, how consistent the bounce is.
OVER 23: IND 133/2 Kohli prodding his way in. Hafeez has bowled well, finding a bit of turn but it's his length which has been really impressive. Rahul mails: '"Are you worried about how the young players in your side are going to cope?" Afridi was asked. "After this match," he replied, "we will all be old men anyway." How can you not like him'. You're right, Rahul – was a great quote. SRT 57 Kohli 4
OVER 22: IND 130/2 That's 50 for Sachin. A streakier half-century you're unlikely to see from one so gilded. In fairness, he brings his 50 up with a lovely lofted shot over the head of cover off Afridi. Got inside out and levered it over the head of Younis. And there's four more, brilliantly, beautifully, cut down to the third man. Hit that so late. Class.
OVER 21: IND 120/2 So that's four lives, now for Sachin. Incredible. Hafeez's over is tidy. Just going to be an absolute thriller this, isn't it. You can tell. Spinners have been brilliant. Makes you wonder about the wisdom of Dhoni's decision to leave out Ashwin, doesn't it?
OVER 20 IND 119/2 Sachin's dropped again! What are Pakistan doing? Sachin miscues a drive and it's into the hands of Younis at cover. It's a tough-ish chance – hand to jump and hands above his head. But it's takeable. Poor drop. That's twice Afridi should have had his man. So Younis dropping catches and Akmal taking stumpings – whodathunkit?
OVER 19 IND 116/2 Gambhir goes! Stumped off Hafeez!
WICKET! Gambhir st Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Hafeez 27. IND 116/2. Oh well bowled – Gambhir beaten all ends up. Came down to the offie but backed out of the big shot and just tried to get something on it, but Hafeez pushed it a little wider, and dragged it a little shorter, and Akmal did the rest. Pretty unlucky mode of dismissal – stumped K Akmal – and a setback for India who were starting to looking more settled. OVER 18 IND 114/1 Afridi's bowling well – getting that drift and dip which makes him so difficult to work square of the wicket. Sachin picks up four more with a chipped, straight drive which should really have been cut off. Poor. Boycott on TMS: It's the first time I've not seen Sachin pick the bowling.
OVER 17 IND 110/1 Hafeez on now, and there's four for Gambhir. My word he plays that cut shot well. Can't give him any width whatsoever. GG 26 SRT 39
OVER 16 IND 102/1 Afridi continues, and he's hard as ever to get away. But that's India's hundred! Significant base this, with hometown boy Yuvraj and the rest still to come. "Sitting here in Queensland looking for somewhere to follow the cricket and found your blog," mails Ian Heydon. "The Australian reporting is pathetic – all about Ponting and Clarke when there is actually a very important and very intriguing cricket game happening (politically, socially and sportingly)." Hear you Ian. The Pup and Punter handover has been drearily predictable hasn't it...
OVER 15 IND 99/1 That's more like it, Sachin. Sweeps Ajmal for four fine – all touch and timing. And there's four more! Edged this time, but no slips in place. Ajmal's getting the better of him here, without a shadow of doubt. Afridi needs to keep him on, and give him a slip. That would have dropped straight into first slip's lap.
OVER 14 IND 90/1 Afridi to Sachin – and he's dropped! Pulled it to midwicket and Misbah has binned it! What a chance. Having said that, the great man looks like a walking wicket at the moment. Amazing change in temperature since the spinners came on – Tendulkar could have been out three times in four overs! Time for drinks break...
"Hi Mike", mails Asma Ahmed. Hello Asma. "I am a maths teacher and teaching and watching at the same time. every 60 sec when the score is refreshed I stop my teaching. Not easy being at work today." I won't tell you which school Asma's at, in case your kids are there. But I'm sure the bits between the breaks are good... OVER 13 IND 84/1 Ajmal's back on – bowling really well – and I'm not entirely such that Sach is picking his doosra. Good over spoiled with a sixth ball which is just a touch too short and allows Gambhir to cut it deftly, stylishly for four.
OVER 12 IND 79/1 Afridi makes his entrance now into this utterly captivating game. Tendulkar's watchful against the Pakistani captain, who most teams have found pretty-much unplayable thus far. Three singles off the over. Derek Pringle: "Even technology fears giving tendulkar out in India."
OVER 11 IND 76/1 Ajmal to Gambhir, and that's a leg-side wide. Bit of turn, is there? Not much. But hang on! Tendulkar's trapped in front, huge shout, and Gunner Gould has triggered him! But it's been turned down on review! Wow. Tendulkar looked dead there, to the naked eye, and nearly didn't even go for the replay. But he went upstairs eventually and it was overturned – missing leg-stump on the replay. That is interesting, really interesting, because both Athers and Sunil Gavaskar on the commentary were convinced that was out and there was a sharp intake of breath when it was overturned. A genuine shock. And mutterings, indeed. And now there's a stumping appeal! Kamran Akmal has whipped off the bails as Tendulkar lunges forward! This will go upstairs as well....it's close! But Tendulkar is JUST home. Foot was up, but the toe came down. By inches. What an over. Brilliant doosra from Ajmal, by the way, which caused the stumping chance.
Rob Key: 'Unbelievable. That looked stone dead on Sachin'. Pakistan have taken the bowling powerplay, and it's Ajmal to continue...
OVER 10 IND 73/1 Pakistan have pulled it back a touch, but Riaz is punished when he strays onto the pads of Sachin. Four leg-byes. And that's the powerplay done. "Arrogant review from Sehwag," tweets Nick Hoult. "Didn't consult Tendulkar. All about the individual."
OVER 9 IND 68/1 Gul's hauled off – got the big build-up before this game and has bloused it up completely to be fair. Ajmal comes on, and starts well against Gambhir, there's a nudge for two and a single to keep the strike.
OVER 8 IND 65/1 Tendulkar takes eight off the over without breaking sweat. There's that effortless back-foot punch/clip through off which looks like it's going for one and then flies over the rope in the blink of an eye. Then there's four more – just gorgeous – with a square drive on one knee. An absolute privilege to watch. 77 needed for his 100th hundred for India.
OVER 7 IND 57/1 Time to catch the breath. Gul, who'll be even happier than Riaz about the fall of that wicket, nips one across Gambhir dangerously. Tendulkar, who was humbly happy to play second fiddle to Sehwag, flicks Gul for four with a delicate leg glance. And there's three more, just pushed through the covers. Amazing grace that he shows in giving Sehwag -essentially a younger, flashier tribute act – the strike early on, isn't it? You can't imagine Keith Richards letting Ronnie Wood play the intro to Satisfaction, can you?
OVER 6 IND 49/1 Riaz to Sehwag – hits him in front. Given out! We're going for the review.....and it's upheld! Sehwag goes!
WICKET! Sehwag lbw b Wahab Riaz 38. IND 48/1 What a start from Riaz. Slowed the rate, and stuffed a daffodil in the end of Sehwag's shotgun. A quite mesmeric innings comes to an end, and full credit to Afridi for the bowling change. Switched the angle of attack with the left armer Riaz, and Sehwag couldn't adjust. Went straight up for the review, Sehwag, who was jumping up when he was hit. Just trying to work it off his pads. Poor review, actually, because a) it was Taufel b) he didn't even asked Sachin whether the ball pitched in line. Which it did. OVER 5 IND 47/0 That's just brilliant from Sehwag. Wrists like you would not believe. Takes this one from off stump? Maybe just outside? And it's whipped through midwicket with incredible power. And finally there's the bouncer! Good one, too, and Sehwag ducks under it.They have to mix it up and ball short. That's the Aussie tactic. But don't bowl short AND wide! Uppercut for four to end the over. Razzaq's having a blow – Riaz gets the nod. Need to work on your hiding, Wahab son. This is not the time to come on first change...
Crytal Lundt is a New Indian Supporter: "I am a South African, currently at work (supposed to be working hard), but am logging on and reading the commentary every 10 minutes. I'm still shell-shocked about SA's defeat. Walked around the whole weekend in an absolute daze, I still can't believe we lost!!!! OVER 4 IND 39/0 Razzaq gets the treatment now. Plants his front foot and smashes it through cover. Cracker. And Afridi's taken both slips out now. No choices I guess. This is damage limitation already. Now Sachin joins in. Awww man that's just a great shot. Full, flowing cover drive on the up. Placed perfectly, obv. Best opening partnership you will ever see.
Steven Finn: 'Sehwag looks like he's on a mission here! Changethefieldeveryball.com.' Good gags for a big man! OVER 3 IND 27/0 Gul strays, and Sehwag tucks in. Just a touch too straight and the punishment is penal. There's four crashed high and handsome over the rope at midwicket. And four more, gentler this time, just clipped off his pads but still with expert timing, beating the man at fine leg comfortably. And four more! Aaah that's poor from Umar, just feeding that Sehwag clip and it's an identikit boundary past fine leg's left hand. And four more! Carnage! Gul goes outside off, trying to keep it off the pads and Sehwag just waits for the slower ball to reach him....and slaps it past point for four. Dismissive. AND FOUR MORE! FROM A BLOODY NO BALL! Gul's lost it completely. Oversteps and it's just a juicy half volley, which Sehwag smites through extra cover for four. 21 off the over – and that's including a dot ball from the free hit! Sehwag 25 Sachin 1
Steve Walters: "All this chat about Tendulkar vs Bradman, and who is the best of all time. How can you possibly leave Viv Richards out of the debate ??? Even Botham was quoted as saying he found it hard to believe there has ever been a better batsman than the great man from the West Indies....." Fair point, although I'm not sure 'Even Botham' will win you many cricket arguments in my house... OVER 2 IND 6/0 Oof! Scare for Sachin as he scurries through for a single, as Riaz gathers and offloads. Just misses. A run-out there wouldn't have gone hugely well. Good start for Pakistan though, lively in the field and a decent line from both openers.
OVER 1 IND 4/0 Sehwag's off and running with a gorgeous four through the covers. Wow. Took him two balls more than he usually takes to get that first boundary, but just typical Sehwag, no foot movement, perfect timing, elegant flow of the arms, and a noise like a rifle shot. steady start from Gul – everything on off stump or thereabouts, and there's a pretty packed off-side field. Good pace from Gul, forcing Sehwag onto the back foot. It'll be Razzaq from t'other end. No spin first and this pair. Wise.
Vikram Mangla reckons: India would've been better to play sreesanth as both nehra and munaf patel were struggling. If India were to take gamble, I think Sree's selection would have been better. Well, not too sure about that Vikram. I'd be slightly worried that Sree would spontaneously combust with hypertension if you put him in a game like this. Agree about Munaf and Nehra though. 0959: Here come the boys. Sehwag taking guard and will take the first cherry from....Umar Gul, I think. Destructive against everyone, Sehwag. Particularly savage against Pakistan though, over the years. Yep, Gul with the new nut. Two slips in. Very green looking deck. Whatever grass is there has been rolled in though.
Simon Hughes: Nos 6 & 7 crucial on each team. Raina & Dhoni v Umar & Afridi. India have the better combination. 0955: Anthems! Not exactly Six Nations style tear-jerkers, you have to say, but we'll be at it soon enough. Trying not to focus on the politics today, but It's the first meeting of the two heads of state since the Mumbai massacres in 2008. Dignitaries are shaking hands with both teams – Afridi's got a massive smile on his face. Dhoni and Sachin look cool as a cucumber yogurt dip.
0950: Ashwin decision is "stunning", according to Rahul Nayyar in my inbox. We'll see when India bowl whether Dhoni's messed that one up. It's India's batting first, and the greatest opening partnership of all time, Sachin and Sehwag. In fact, it's quite hard to imagine I'll ever see a greater opening partnership in my lifetime. OK, anthem time. Manmohan Singh, the Indian PM is shoulder to shoulder with Zardari, the Pakistani president in the posh seats. Extraordinary stuff.
Kevin Pietersen: I think after seeing who's batting first, India to win if they score 260. 0947: The Analyst, of course, is completely right about the toss. 10 of the day-nighters in Mohali have been won by the side batting first. Dew-related difficulties, you see.
0935: India have dropped Ashwin, their lanky spinner, and brought in Ashish Nehra. Pakistan are unchanged, so no Shoaib.
Simon Hughes: Unbelievable decision by India to prefer Nehra (ave 56 in last 10 games) to the excellent Ashwin. But great toss to win for India. India: V Sehwag, SR Tendulkar, G Gambhir, V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni*†, SK Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, MM Patel, A Nehra
Agree with those teams? Big call to bring back Nehra – Ashwin's bowled great but Dhoni obviously figures he's either a) too green for this match, which seems a little odd given that he opened the bowling against Australia b) not as likely to trouble the Pakistani batsmen.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal†, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi*, Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajma
0930: OK HERE WE GO....Afridi. Coin. Toss. Tail......India will bat!
0925: Weather still set fair. Hot and humid, but no thunder. Here's a few emails before the toss...
"Cricket is not the national game of India and Pakistan. Can anyone guess what it is?" says Rahul Nayyar. Easy. Rugby league. Next? "I love my Pakistani cricket team," says Asim Khan. "We have done very well to get to this stage and God-willing we will defeat India today. All the best to both sides, may the best team win." Aaah. Gurinder Grewal says: "Sorry to hear about Derek Pringle being kicked out of his hotel," so is he Gurinder, let me tell you. "It amazes me that every time Indian bureaucracy has a chance to make India shine, it manages to get some sort of negative publicity or a black spot of some sort." 0905: Here's my two rupee's worth on today, before we get distracted by news and teams and whatever.
1. There has to fairly decent chance that this game could be a massive disappointment. The Pakistan side that beat Australia and annihilated West Indies is capable of beating India. The Pakistan crushed by New Zealand is capable only of beating itself.
2. Even if Good Pakistan show up, however, India should still have the edge. Their experience alone is a huge advantage. Five of India’s starting line-up played in the 2003 World Cup final in Jo’burg, and two more played in the T20 victory over Pakistan at the same ground four years later. These players haven’t been kept beyond their sell-by dates, though. Of India’s senior players, only Bhajji appears to be past his best. For many of them – Tendulkar, Dhoni, Sehwag, Yuvraj, Zaheer Khan, Gambhir – this game comes at the perfect moment. They are ready.
3. Dhoni is right to be worried about his attack (Munaf in particular). But the comparative weakness of India’s bowling is offset by the depth and dynamism of their batting.
4. The Pakistani spinners that devastated West Indies will surely find India’s middle order an entirely different prospect, particularly now Suresh Raina has replaced Yusuf Pathan.
Simon Hughes: "Times of India has exceeded itself with 12 different comment pieces from former international players. More columns than the Parthenon..." 0903: Shoaib, apparently, has been bowling in the nets this morning. He's a contender for Pakistan. Certainly wouldn't be rattled by the occasion. If he plays, Wahab Riaz will probably miss out, but can Afridi really gamble on his fitness? Dhoni's got choices to make too, not least about the participation of Munaf Patel, who seems to have got worse with every game.
0850: Teams, toss and the rest as soon as we have it. Before then, why not ping us a mail. where are you, what are you reckoning etc. Or unload a memory or two? Ever been to an Indo-Pak game?
First, some gentle scene-setting:
Chandigarh is unlike any other Indian city. Designed by Le Corbusier, the controversial French architect and urban planner, the Punjab state capital is divided into uniform ‘Sectors’ of 800 by 1200 metres. Its wide roads are separated by carefully-tendered gardens, making life in the city feel calm and orderly. Boring, even. Can't imagine Sector 64, in the south-western suburb of Mohali, will feel boring this morning, however. Indeed, when yer man Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar walks out to open the batting this morning, I’m not sure a cricket ground anywhere in the world will have heard a noise quite like it.
0835: Good afternoon India, good afternoon Pakistan, and hello diaspora, wherever you are diasporing. This humble live blog will do its damnedest today to capture to true scale of this "Moon-Landing Match". Failing that, we will definitely bring you the scores and print some emails.
The good news this morning is that it's not raining in Mohali. What sounded like a ripple of thunder across south Asia this morning was actually Telegraph Cricket Correspondent Derek Pringle being kicked out of his hotel in Chandigarh this morning because "government bigwigs" needed the room.
If it's important enough to kick Pringle out of a hotel room, it must be quite a game, eh folks?
Required reading:
Simon Hughes says is thinking the unthinkable and arguing that "Sachin is better than Bradman". That's some big talk. But he backs it up rather well. And when you think about it, he's not Ian Ward is better than Bradman, is he?
Simon Briggs has a tale of the tape type preview-thing.
And Geoffrey Boycott (try kicking him out of hotel room, jobsworth!) says Captain Cool MS Dhoni is just the man for a ludicrously overblown occasion. Read the CWC Email here ...
Cricket World Cup 2011: Kumar Sangakkara resigns as Sri Lanka captain after India defeat :
Sri Lanka's cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara has resigned from the job three days after his team lost to India in the World Cup final.
Sangakkara said he told the national selectors that he would quit as one-day and Twenty20 captain with immediate effect, but offered to continue as Test captain on an interim basis if required.
"After careful consideration I have concluded that it is in the best long-term interests of the team that I step down now as national captain so that a new leader can be properly groomed for the 2015 World Cup," Sangakkara, 33, wrote to Sri Lanka Cricket.
"This was a decision I made prior to the World Cup. I will be 37 by the next World Cup and I cannot therefore be sure of my place in the team.
"It is better that Sri Lanka is led now by a player who will be at the peak of their career during that tournament."
Sangakkara, a fluent left-hand batsman and wicket-keeper, said he had no plans yet to retire as a player.
"I met with the selectors on Monday and I explained my reasons for my decision and I assured them of my fullest support in helping our new captain settle into the leadership," he wrote.
"In this regard, I have offered to continue as the Test captain for the forthcoming series with England, and possibly Australia, if the selectors believe this would help the new captain and aid the transition.
"I have no plans of retirement from international cricket at this stage and, subject to form and fitness, I would like to be considered for selection in all three formats of the game for the foreseeable future."
Sangakkara has scored 8,244 runs in 94 Tests at an average of 57.25 with 24 centuries. He also has 9,164 runs in 291 one-dayers with 11 hundreds.
Sangakkara said he had enjoyed his two-year stint as captain since taking over from Mahela Jayawardene in March, 2009.
"It has been a true honour and a great privilege to serve my country as captain during the past two years," he said.
"Although bitterly disappointed that we could not win the final, I am very proud of the performances of the team.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank my team-mates and the coaching staff for their hard work and support."
There was no immediate comment from Sri Lanka Cricket or the national selectors on Sangakkara's decision
"In this regard, I have offered to continue as the Test captain for the forthcoming series with England, and possibly Australia, if the selectors believe this would help the new captain and aid the transition.
"I have no plans of retirement from international cricket at this stage and, subject to form and fitness, I would like to be considered for selection in all three formats of the game for the foreseeable future."
Sangakkara has scored 8,244 runs in 94 Tests at an average of 57.25 with 24 centuries. He also has 9,164 runs in 291 one-dayers with 11 hundreds.
Sangakkara said he had enjoyed his two-year stint as captain since taking over from Mahela Jayawardene in March, 2009.
"It has been a true honour and a great privilege to serve my country as captain during the past two years," he said.
"Although bitterly disappointed that we could not win the final, I am very proud of the performances of the team.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank my team-mates and the coaching staff for their hard work and support."
There was no immediate comment from Sri Lanka Cricket or the national selectors on Sangakkara's decision
