World Cup Twenty20 Final, India Vs Pakistan

The two neighborhood of South Asian, all time rivals, the young guns of India and Pakistan will square off in the first ICC World Cup Twenty20 final at Johannesburg in South Africa.

After a clinical Pakistan performance saw off the challenge of New Zealand at Cape Town in the first of two semifinals on Saturday, India recorded a stunning victory in Durban against the previously all-conquering Australians.

Less than six months after both sides returned in disgrace from the main World Cup, they now have a perfect opportunity for redemption, albeit with vastly different line-ups since their early departure from the Caribbean.


Rookie Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik and incoming India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni have the chance to lift a major trophy after a tournament that has packed in more thrills and close finishes in a fortnight than six weeks in the West Indies.

"India-Pakistan is always a huge competition. It's just like a dream for us," said Yuvraj after smashing 70 off just 30 balls.

On the way to the final, both teams have inflicted humiliating defeats on ODI and Test champions Australia and roared past other favourites like hosts South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

There is no Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly in the Indian line-up nor is Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Yousuf in the Pakistan team. But both sides have discovered new stars on way to the Wanderer's Stadium.

India has a new captain in Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is a refreshing contrast to his predecessors with straight thinking and a focus on the basics of the game.
"I told the boys, 'go out and do your best after which I don't care what happens,'" he said after humbling mighty Australia at Durban last night.

Both India and Pakistan find some real talent players. Dhoni himself, the team India has found new stars on the horizon such as Rohit Sharma, Robin Uthappa and a thinking bowler in RP Singh, who has joined the ever-aggressive S Sreesanth, comeback kid Irfan Pathan and the veteran Harbhajan Singh to deal mortal blows to the opposition.
Pakistan too has a new captain in Shoaib Malik, who has found match winners in newcomers batsman Misbah-ul-Haq and bowler Tanvir Sohail.

"Both teams are playing with a high level of skill. The Indian batting is so dangerous - and Pakistan are bowling beautifully ... So I can't pick a winner because it's that type of game," Gilchrist said after his side lost to India in the second semifinals last night.

In the end, which of the team runs away with the gleaming trophy will depend on who plays well about three hours of cricket on the day. Both teams are surprise finalists and undoubtedly both will give their best on the final night of a tournament that has caught the fancy of cricket lovers everywhere.

You can expect a healthy rivalry over there (against Pakistan in Johannesburg) and a tough game of cricket. The match India v Pakistan will be live at Sep 24, 12:00 GMT.

TEAMS
INDIA (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Joginder Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Piyush Chawla, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Rudra Pratap Singh, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Robin Uthappa.

PAKISTAN (from): Shoaib Malik (captain), Abdur Rehman, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Anjum, Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Misbahul Haq, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Hafeez, Salman Butt, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Yasir Arafat, Younis Khan.