MOHALI, March 30 � India vanquished Pakistan here tonight to storm into the final of the cricket World Cup in a high-voltage match watched by the Prime Ministers of the two countries and millions of passionate fans across the sub-continent, reports PTI.
The 29-run victory, which enabled India to maintain its unbeaten record against the arch rivals in 36 years of World Cup history, was the result of some brilliant bowling and fielding show by the home side after its much-vaunted batting line-up had posted a modest 260 for nine to which man-of-the match Sachin Tendulkar made a lucky 85-run contribution.
India now meet Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai on Saturday in a bid to win the coveted Cup for the second time since it first stunned the cricketing world by beating West Indies in 1983 at the Lords.
Batting first after winning the toss, India was restricted to 260 for nine largely due to brilliant bowling by fast medium bowler Wahab Riaz who took 5 for 46.
Given an even chance to overhaul this total, Pakistani batting crumbled before some brilliant bowling by three Indian seamers � Ashish Nehra (2/33), Zaheer Khan (2/58) and Munaf Patel (2/40) as well as two spinners Harbhajan Singh (2/43) and Yuvraj Singh (2/57).
Pakistan were all out for 231 runs in 49.5 overs to leave India deserved winners before a boisterous crowd that included power personalities such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, union ministers, glamour from Bollywood besides Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani who were present when the final ball was bowled.
Zaheer Khan took the last wicket of Misbah-ul Haq to send a capacity crowd at the PCA stadium into a frenzy.
The jubilant Indian team members hugged each other nd took the stumps as souvenirs and the support staff at the dressing room also broke into celebration to cherish the moment of triumph which brought hopes of India regaining the coveted trophy after a gap of 28 years.
Tendulkar turned out to be India�s batting hero though he got as many as six �lives� during his innings. However, he could not make
the most of the Pakistani fielding lapses as he missed his 100th international ton.
Virender Sehwag (38) and Suresh Raina (36 not out) were the other notable scorers. For Pakistan, pacer Wahab Riaz was the pick of the bowlers with a career best 5/46.
The Indians then came up with a disciplined bowling show and some brilliant fielding to choke the Pakistanis who got a good start but lost their way in the middle overs.
Misbah-ul Haq (56) Mohammad Hafeez (43), Asad Shafiq (30) and Umar Akmal (29) were the notable scorers.
The two Pakistani openers Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal gave a decent start to the run chase and chose to attack pace spearhead Zaheer Khan who gave away 16 runs in his first two overs.
The openers put on 44 runs for the first wicket before Zaheer provided the breakthrough by scalping Akmal with a slower delivery. Kamran went for the cut and Yuvraj Singh held on to a smart catch at point.
Harbhajan Singh was introduced into the attack in the 11th over and the off-spinner immediately got some turn in his very first over. But, in the subsequent overs, he was able to make impression.
Hafeez (43), who was shaping for a long innings, got out to a horrendous shot to give India the second wicket and send the capacity crowd into a frenzy. He attempted a strange paddle sweep like stroke off Munaf Patel and edged the ball to Dhoni behind the stumps.
After Hafeez�s dismissal, the run rate dropped down quite a bit as Younis Khan could not force the pace of scoring and that allowed the Indians to apply more pressure.
Yuvraj, who has been having a dream run with both the bat and ball in the tournament, then got into the act by evicting Asad Shafiq (30). Shafiq went for a cut but the ball skidded through to knock down his middle stump to leave the visitors at 103 for three.
Yuvraj then scalped the prized wicket of Younis (13 off 32 balls) with a good length ball inviting the batsman to drive. Younis could not time his shot properly and spooned a catch to Raina.
With the required run rate continuing to mount, Umar Akmal, who came to the crease after Younis� dismissal, went after Yuvraj clobbering him for a four and six in one over and later lifting him over the bowler�s head for a mighty six.
Harbhajan cut short Akmal�s belligerence in the very first ball after the drinks break by dislodging his stumps to pick up his first wicket. Munaf then accounted for Abdul Razzaq with a gem of a delivery to tilt the game in India�s favour.
S c o r e c a r d
India
Sehwag lbw b Wahab Riaz 38
Tendulkar c Afridi b Ajmal 85
Gambhir st Kamran Akmal b Hafeez 27
Kohli c Umar Akmal b Wahab Riaz 9
Yuvraj b Wahab Riaz 0
Dhoni lbw b Wahab Riaz 25
Raina not out 36
Harbhajan st Kamran Akmal b Ajmal 12
Zaheer c Kamran Akmal b Wahab Riaz 9
Nehra run out 1
Munaf not out 0
Extras: (LB-8, W-8, NB-2) 18
Total: (for nine wkts in 50 overs) 260
Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-116, 3-141, 4-141, 5-187, 6-205, 7-236, 8-256, 9-258.
Bowling: Umar Gul 8-0-69-0, Abdul Razzaq 2-0-14-0, Wahab Riaz 10-0-46-5, Saeed Ajmal 10-0-44-2, Shahid Afridi 10-0-45-0, Mohammad Hafeez 10-0-34-1.
Pakistan
K Akmal c Yuvraj b Khan 19
Hafeez c Dhoni b Patel 43
Shafiq b Yuvraj 30
Younis c Raina b Yuvraj 13
Misbah c Kohli b Khan 56
Umar Akmal b Harbhajan 29
Razzaq b Patel 3
Afridi c Sehwag b Harbhajan 19
Riaz c Tendulkar b Nehra 8
Gul lbw b Nehra 2
Saeed Ajmal not out 1
Extras: (w 8) 8
Total: (10 wickets; 49.5 overs) 231
Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-70, 3-103, 4-106, 5-142, 6-150, 7-184, 8-199, 9-208, 10-231. Bowling: Zaheer 9.5-0-58-2, Nehra 10-0-33-2, Munaf 10-1-40-2, Harbhajan 10-0-43-2, Yuvraj 10-1-57-2.
