Umar Gul is pumped up after taking a wicket

Umar Gul is pumped up after taking a wicket, Bangladesh v Pakistan, 1st ODI, Mirpur, December 1, 2011

©AFP

Umar Gul is pumped up after taking a wicket, Bangladesh v Pakistan, 1st ODI, Mirpur, December 1, 2011

©AFP

Posted by

M Usman Arshad

Mohsin Khan with Misbah ul Haq and Umar Gul

Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan and Umar Gul talk while waiting for the rain to subside, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Sharjah, 5th day, November 7, 2011

©AFP

Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan and Umar Gul talk while waiting for the rain to subside, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Sharjah, 5th day, November 7, 2011©AFP

Posted by

M Usman Arshad

Faysal Bank T20 2011 semi-final

Faysal Bank T20 Cup, 2011,  semi-final

Unfancied sides battle for top honours

The Preview by Umar Farooq

October 1, 2011

Big Picture

The 2011 Faysal Bank T20 Cup has thrown up a few surprises in the group stage of the competition, with pre-tournament favourites, Karachi Dolphins, and defending champions, Lahore Lions, both falling by the wayside before the semi-finals.

The draw had seemed to favour Karachi, who were in the same group as depleted teams such as Islamabad Leopards and Peshawar Panthers, but Twenty20 is the most fickle form of the game. Sialkot Stallions, the five-time-champions, are finally back in the spotlight after thumping Lahore Lions and Quetta Bears, while Rawalpindi Rams beat Faisalabad Wolves to extend their winning streak and ease into the semi-finals.

Umar Gul

Most of the games have been played in front of just a few thousand spectators at the National Stadium in Karachi, but a couple of contests that involved the home team, led by Shahid Afridi, had close to overflowing stands. Karachi, though, did not make the semi-finals, and it remains to be seen how many fans turn up to watch the final few matches.

Watch out for …

Sialkot's 18-year-old Raza Hasan, a left-arm spinner who last appeared for Rawalpindi, has consistently been called up for the national side but has never been handed the opportunity to kick-start his international career. A good showing here could help his chances.

Out of favour Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul, who is captaining Peshawar, also has a point to prove to win back his place in the national side.

Team news

In the absence of seasoned campaigners Naved-ul-Hasan and Abdul Rehman, Sialkot lost their way in 2010, but the pair are back this year and the team, led by Shoaib Malik, have set their sights on re-establishing their dominance in the format. "We were missing several key players for the last couple of events, but particularly with Rana [Naved-ul-Hasan] making his way back into the squad, and Raza [Hasan, who has shifted to Sialkot from Rawalpindi], we have good additions to our squad this year," captain Shoaib Malik told ESPNcricinfo. "We definitely have our sights on regaining our lost glory as former champions, but [right now] our focus is currently on the semi-final."

Rawalpindi are the defending champions and have responded well to the pressure of trying to retain their title, winning all three of their league games. Though they are a young side, they have not been overawed by the occasion and their strength in depth makes them a definite threat to repeat.

Stats and trivia

• Rawalpindi Rams and Lahore Eagles are the only teams with two batsmen aggregating over 100 runs so far in the tournament
• Sialkot Stallions' Sarfraz Ahmed's 4 for 13 against Hyderabad Hawks is the best bowling figures in the tournament

Quotes

"It's all about the right combination. The Twenty20 format is a unique form of game that requires being on your toes all the way while batting or fielding and [the right] combination means a lot. You can't afford to be complacent with even a single ball."
Shoaib Malik, Sialkot Stallions' captain, on how important team selection is for a Twenty20 game

"We weren't one of the fancied teams going into this tournament, but we have shown that we are a match for any team in this competition."
Lahore Eagles coach Manzoor Elahi is unfazed at the prospect of playing Sialkot

Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent

Crackers go off in Hyderabad to celebrate India's victory

Crackers go off in Hyderabad to celebrate India's victory, Hyderabad, India, March 30, 2011

©AFP

Crackers go off in Hyderabad to celebrate India's victory, Hyderabad, India, March 30, 2011©AFP

Sachin Tendulkar celebrates India's win with an ecstatic leap

Sachin Tendulkar celebrates India's win with an ecstatic leap, India v Pakistan, 2nd semi-final, World Cup 2011, Mohali, March 30, 2011

©Associated Press

Sachin Tendulkar celebrates India's win with an ecstatic leap, India v Pakistan, 2nd semi-final, World Cup 2011, Mohali, March 30, 2011©Associated Press

pakistan 28/0 in 5 overs

Pakistan openers make positive start

India v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, semi-final, Mohali

Riaz takes five as India reach 260

It was difficult to imagine that this semi-final could live up to the extreme pre-match hype but at the halfway point, India and Pakistan had justified the build-up. Sachin Tendulkar played one of the luckiest innings of his career, dropped four times in his 85, while a wonderful bowling effort from Wahab Riaz helped restrict India to 260, which on a good batting pitch and fast outfield was a reasonable result for Pakistan.

But while the first 50 overs were captivating, Sri Lanka would have enjoyed what they saw from the two teams fighting for the chance to meet them in Saturday's final. Apart from Riaz and the Pakistan spinners, the standard of cricket from both sides was rather poor; Pakistan's fielding was atrocious, Umar Gul (0 for 69) had his worst day in a long while, and India's batsmen seemed to wilt under the pressure of a World Cup semi-final.

Wahab Riaz

Suresh Raina (36 not out) added some late runs, and 43 in the batting Powerplay in the dying stages could yet prove invaluable. India must now rely on their bowlers, and judging by the turn found by Saeed Ajmal and his colleagues, India's decision to leave out R Ashwin to make room for Ashish Nehra could prove a mistake.

That said, it was the seam movement of Riaz that caused the biggest problems for India, and he finished with 5 for 46, finding wickets just when Pakistan needed them. His much-deserved five-for arrived with a tickle behind from Zaheer Khan in the 50th over, and Pakistan must be relieved that they didn't succumb to temptation and drop him for Shoaib Akhtar.

And by picking up two lbw decisions and bowling Yuvraj Singh first ball, Riaz took the Pakistan fielders out of the equation. Tendulkar was put down on 27, 45, 70 and 81, and it seemed as though he was going to bring up his 100th international century with one of his least convincing innings of recent times.

Misbah-ul-Haq at midwicket was the first to drop Tendulkar, before Younis Khan spilled a regulation chance at cover, both off the bowling of Shahid Afridi. The third chance came when Kamran Akmal didn't move his hands quickly enough to a thick edge, again off Afridi, and while that was a tough opportunity, a pull to Umar Akmal at mid-on from the offspin of Mohammad Hafeez should have been taken.

And before he had any of those lives, Tendulkar had survived two very tight calls on 23: an lbw decision that was given out by Ian Gould but on review proved to be spinning down leg, and the next delivery a near-stumping when he just got his back foot down in time after losing his balance reaching outside off. When Tendulkar was finally taken at cover by Afridi off the bowling of Ajmal, Pakistan's relief was evident.

Soon after, a scratchy MS Dhoni, who was also dropped by Kamran, made the mistake of challenging Simon Taufel on an lbw decision. Dhoni had 25 when he missed a Riaz delivery that pitched just in line and was hitting the stumps, and it was the second outstanding call by Taufel, who had given Virender Sehwag lbw in a similar fashion earlier, even though the left-armer's angle meant pitching outside leg was a possibility.

Riaz was the man who Afridi had to thank for keeping Pakistan in the contest after India made a strong start and reached 114 for 1 off their first 18 overs. After Gautam Gambhir was stumped wandering down the pitch against Hafeez, Riaz grabbed two wickets in two balls - Virat Kohli caught at backward point and Yuvraj Singh bowled by a low full toss for a golden duck.

Nobody looked as fluent as the crease as Sehwag, who took 21 off Gul from the third over of the innings. There were boundaries from a flick over midwicket, a clip through the same region, a cut from a slower ball, a nudge behind square leg and a cover-drive off a no-ball, and the most remarkable thing about the over was that Sehwag didn't also dispatch the free hit.

The initial signs were worrying for Pakistan as Sehwag also drove Abdul Razzaq back over his head for a boundary. But what looked like a 300-plus total in those early overs became a much more gettable chase, and set up a fascinating second half in the battle to face Sri Lanka.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Sachin Tendulkar walks back after a chancy 85

Sachin Tendulkar walks back after a chancy 85, India v Pakistan, 2nd semi-final, World Cup 2011, Mohali, March 30, 2011©Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar walks back after a chancy 85, India v Pakistan, 2nd semi-final, World Cup 2011, Mohali, March 30, 2011©Getty Images

India v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, semi-final, Mohali

Great start by openers

Pakistan 15/0 in 2.2 overs

It was difficult to imagine that this semi-final could live up to the extreme pre-match hype but at the halfway point, India and Pakistan had justified the build-up. Sachin Tendulkar played one of the luckiest innings of his career, dropped four times in his 85, while a wonderful bowling effort from Wahab Riaz helped restrict India to 260, which on a good batting pitch and fast outfield was a reasonable result for Pakistan.

But while the first 50 overs were captivating, Sri Lanka would have enjoyed what they saw from the two teams fighting for the chance to meet them in Saturday's final. Apart from Riaz and the Pakistan spinners, the standard of cricket from both sides was rather poor; Pakistan's fielding was atrocious, Umar Gul (0 for 69) had his worst day in a long while, and India's batsmen seemed to wilt under the pressure of a World Cup semi-final.

Wahab Riaz

Suresh Raina (36 not out) added some late runs, and 43 in the batting Powerplay in the dying stages could yet prove invaluable. India must now rely on their bowlers, and judging by the turn found by Saeed Ajmal and his colleagues, India's decision to leave out R Ashwin to make room for Ashish Nehra could prove a mistake.

That said, it was the seam movement of Riaz that caused the biggest problems for India, and he finished with 5 for 46, finding wickets just when Pakistan needed them. His much-deserved five-for arrived with a tickle behind from Zaheer Khan in the 50th over, and Pakistan must be relieved that they didn't succumb to temptation and drop him for Shoaib Akhtar.

And by picking up two lbw decisions and bowling Yuvraj Singh first ball, Riaz took the Pakistan fielders out of the equation. Tendulkar was put down on 27, 45, 70 and 81, and it seemed as though he was going to bring up his 100th international century with one of his least convincing innings of recent times.

Misbah-ul-Haq at midwicket was the first to drop Tendulkar, before Younis Khan spilled a regulation chance at cover, both off the bowling of Shahid Afridi. The third chance came when Kamran Akmal didn't move his hands quickly enough to a thick edge, again off Afridi, and while that was a tough opportunity, a pull to Umar Akmal at mid-on from the offspin of Mohammad Hafeez should have been taken.

And before he had any of those lives, Tendulkar had survived two very tight calls on 23: an lbw decision that was given out by Ian Gould but on review proved to be spinning down leg, and the next delivery a near-stumping when he just got his back foot down in time after losing his balance reaching outside off. When Tendulkar was finally taken at cover by Afridi off the bowling of Ajmal, Pakistan's relief was evident.

Soon after, a scratchy MS Dhoni, who was also dropped by Kamran, made the mistake of challenging Simon Taufel on an lbw decision. Dhoni had 25 when he missed a Riaz delivery that pitched just in line and was hitting the stumps, and it was the second outstanding call by Taufel, who had given Virender Sehwag lbw in a similar fashion earlier, even though the left-armer's angle meant pitching outside leg was a possibility.

Riaz was the man who Afridi had to thank for keeping Pakistan in the contest after India made a strong start and reached 114 for 1 off their first 18 overs. After Gautam Gambhir was stumped wandering down the pitch against Hafeez, Riaz grabbed two wickets in two balls - Virat Kohli caught at backward point and Yuvraj Singh bowled by a low full toss for a golden duck.

Nobody looked as fluent as the crease as Sehwag, who took 21 off Gul from the third over of the innings. There were boundaries from a flick over midwicket, a clip through the same region, a cut from a slower ball, a nudge behind square leg and a cover-drive off a no-ball, and the most remarkable thing about the over was that Sehwag didn't also dispatch the free hit.

The initial signs were worrying for Pakistan as Sehwag also drove Abdul Razzaq back over his head for a boundary. But what looked like a 300-plus total in those early overs became a much more gettable chase, and set up a fascinating second half in the battle to face Sri Lanka.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Wahab Riaz's five keeps India to 260

Wahab Riaz's five wickets

India v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, semi-final, Mohali

Riaz takes five as India reach 260

It was difficult to imagine that this semi-final could live up to the extreme pre-match hype but at the halfway point, India and Pakistan had justified the build-up. Sachin Tendulkar played one of the luckiest innings of his career, dropped four times in his 85, while a wonderful bowling effort from Wahab Riaz helped restrict India to 260, which on a good batting pitch and fast outfield was a reasonable result for Pakistan.

But while the first 50 overs were captivating, Sri Lanka would have enjoyed what they saw from the two teams fighting for the chance to meet them in Saturday's final. Apart from Riaz and the Pakistan spinners, the standard of cricket from both sides was rather poor; Pakistan's fielding was atrocious, Umar Gul (0 for 69) had his worst day in a long while, and India's batsmen seemed to wilt under the pressure of a World Cup semi-final.

Wahab Riaz

Suresh Raina (36 not out) added some late runs, and 43 in the batting Powerplay in the dying stages could yet prove invaluable. India must now rely on their bowlers, and judging by the turn found by Saeed Ajmal and his colleagues, India's decision to leave out R Ashwin to make room for Ashish Nehra could prove a mistake.

That said, it was the seam movement of Riaz that caused the biggest problems for India, and he finished with 5 for 46, finding wickets just when Pakistan needed them. His much-deserved five-for arrived with a tickle behind from Zaheer Khan in the 50th over, and Pakistan must be relieved that they didn't succumb to temptation and drop him for Shoaib Akhtar.

And by picking up two lbw decisions and bowling Yuvraj Singh first ball, Riaz took the Pakistan fielders out of the equation. Tendulkar was put down on 27, 45, 70 and 81, and it seemed as though he was going to bring up his 100th international century with one of his least convincing innings of recent times.

Misbah-ul-Haq at midwicket was the first to drop Tendulkar, before Younis Khan spilled a regulation chance at cover, both off the bowling of Shahid Afridi. The third chance came when Kamran Akmal didn't move his hands quickly enough to a thick edge, again off Afridi, and while that was a tough opportunity, a pull to Umar Akmal at mid-on from the offspin of Mohammad Hafeez should have been taken.

And before he had any of those lives, Tendulkar had survived two very tight calls on 23: an lbw decision that was given out by Ian Gould but on review proved to be spinning down leg, and the next delivery a near-stumping when he just got his back foot down in time after losing his balance reaching outside off. When Tendulkar was finally taken at cover by Afridi off the bowling of Ajmal, Pakistan's relief was evident.

Soon after, a scratchy MS Dhoni, who was also dropped by Kamran, made the mistake of challenging Simon Taufel on an lbw decision. Dhoni had 25 when he missed a Riaz delivery that pitched just in line and was hitting the stumps, and it was the second outstanding call by Taufel, who had given Virender Sehwag lbw in a similar fashion earlier, even though the left-armer's angle meant pitching outside leg was a possibility.

Riaz was the man who Afridi had to thank for keeping Pakistan in the contest after India made a strong start and reached 114 for 1 off their first 18 overs. After Gautam Gambhir was stumped wandering down the pitch against Hafeez, Riaz grabbed two wickets in two balls - Virat Kohli caught at backward point and Yuvraj Singh bowled by a low full toss for a golden duck.

Nobody looked as fluent as the crease as Sehwag, who took 21 off Gul from the third over of the innings. There were boundaries from a flick over midwicket, a clip through the same region, a cut from a slower ball, a nudge behind square leg and a cover-drive off a no-ball, and the most remarkable thing about the over was that Sehwag didn't also dispatch the free hit.

The initial signs were worrying for Pakistan as Sehwag also drove Abdul Razzaq back over his head for a boundary. But what looked like a 300-plus total in those early overs became a much more gettable chase, and set up a fascinating second half in the battle to face Sri Lanka.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

india 185/5 in 36 overs

India v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, semi-final, Mohali

Riaz inspires Pakistan fightback

Jittery India lose Gambhir

Pakistan fight after Sehwag blitz

By the end of today, either India or Pakistan will have earned a place in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka, and MS Dhoni did his team a favour by winning the toss and choosing to bat in perfect conditions in Mohali. After all the hype, the time for talking is almost over, but Dhoni still needed to explain India's strange decision to leave R Ashwin out to make room for Ashish Nehra.

wahab riaz

"Pakistan are very good players of spin bowling," Dhoni said by way of explanation. The pitch was expected to offer more for the seamers than the slow men, but the inclusion of Nehra, who has taken just one wicket from two matches in the tournament and hasn't played in two and a half weeks, is a major gamble.

Wahab Riaz

wahab riaz

Pakistan, though, preferred to trust the same line-up that accounted for West Indies so easily in their quarter-final, meaning there was no room for Shoaib Akhtar. "It will not be easy against the spinners," the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said. "The ball will definitely take some grip." At least his bowlers won't have to contend with the dew that could play a part later in the evening.

India 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 7 Suresh Raina, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Munaf Patel.

Pakistan 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Tendulkar out

India v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, semi-final, Mohali

Riaz inspires Pakistan fightback

Jittery India lose Gambhir

Pakistan fight after Sehwag blitz

By the end of today, either India or Pakistan will have earned a place in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka, and MS Dhoni did his team a favour by winning the toss and choosing to bat in perfect conditions in Mohali. After all the hype, the time for talking is almost over, but Dhoni still needed to explain India's strange decision to leave R Ashwin out to make room for Ashish Nehra.

wahab riaz

"Pakistan are very good players of spin bowling," Dhoni said by way of explanation. The pitch was expected to offer more for the seamers than the slow men, but the inclusion of Nehra, who has taken just one wicket from two matches in the tournament and hasn't played in two and a half weeks, is a major gamble.

Wahab Riaz

wahab riaz

Pakistan, though, preferred to trust the same line-up that accounted for West Indies so easily in their quarter-final, meaning there was no room for Shoaib Akhtar. "It will not be easy against the spinners," the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said. "The ball will definitely take some grip." At least his bowlers won't have to contend with the dew that could play a part later in the evening.

India 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 7 Suresh Raina, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Munaf Patel.

Pakistan 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Tendulkar dropped 4 times

India v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, semi-final, Mohali

Riaz inspires Pakistan fightback

Jittery India lose Gambhir

Pakistan fight after Sehwag blitz

wahab riaz

By the end of today, either India or Pakistan will have earned a place in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka, and MS Dhoni did his team a favour by winning the toss and choosing to bat in perfect conditions in Mohali. After all the hype, the time for talking is almost over, but Dhoni still needed to explain India's strange decision to leave R Ashwin out to make room for Ashish Nehra.

wahab riaz

"Pakistan are very good players of spin bowling," Dhoni said by way of explanation. The pitch was expected to offer more for the seamers than the slow men, but the inclusion of Nehra, who has taken just one wicket from two matches in the tournament and hasn't played in two and a half weeks, is a major gamble.

Wahab Riaz

Pakistan, though, preferred to trust the same line-up that accounted for West Indies so easily in their quarter-final, meaning there was no room for Shoaib Akhtar. "It will not be easy against the spinners," the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said. "The ball will definitely take some grip." At least his bowlers won't have to contend with the dew that could play a part later in the evening.

India 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 7 Suresh Raina, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Munaf Patel.

Pakistan 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

india 182/4 in 35 overs

India v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, semi-final, Mohali

Riaz inspires Pakistan fightback

Jittery India lose Gambhir

Pakistan fight after Sehwag blitz

wahab riaz

By the end of today, either India or Pakistan will have earned a place in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka, and MS Dhoni did his team a favour by winning the toss and choosing to bat in perfect conditions in Mohali. After all the hype, the time for talking is almost over, but Dhoni still needed to explain India's strange decision to leave R Ashwin out to make room for Ashish Nehra.

wahab riaz

"Pakistan are very good players of spin bowling," Dhoni said by way of explanation. The pitch was expected to offer more for the seamers than the slow men, but the inclusion of Nehra, who has taken just one wicket from two matches in the tournament and hasn't played in two and a half weeks, is a major gamble.

Wahab Riaz

Pakistan, though, preferred to trust the same line-up that accounted for West Indies so easily in their quarter-final, meaning there was no room for Shoaib Akhtar. "It will not be easy against the spinners," the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said. "The ball will definitely take some grip." At least his bowlers won't have to contend with the dew that could play a part later in the evening.

India 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 7 Suresh Raina, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Munaf Patel.

Pakistan 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

India 168/4 in 30 overs

India v Pakistan, World Cup 2011, semi-final, Mohali

Riaz inspires Pakistan fightback

Jittery India lose Gambhir

Pakistan fight after Sehwag blitz

By the end of today, either India or Pakistan will have earned a place in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka, and MS Dhoni did his team a favour by winning the toss and choosing to bat in perfect conditions in Mohali. After all the hype, the time for talking is almost over, but Dhoni still needed to explain India's strange decision to leave R Ashwin out to make room for Ashish Nehra.

wahab riaz

"Pakistan are very good players of spin bowling," Dhoni said by way of explanation. The pitch was expected to offer more for the seamers than the slow men, but the inclusion of Nehra, who has taken just one wicket from two matches in the tournament and hasn't played in two and a half weeks, is a major gamble.

Wahab Riaz

Pakistan, though, preferred to trust the same line-up that accounted for West Indies so easily in their quarter-final, meaning there was no room for Shoaib Akhtar. "It will not be easy against the spinners," the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said. "The ball will definitely take some grip." At least his bowlers won't have to contend with the dew that could play a part later in the evening.

India 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 7 Suresh Raina, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Munaf Patel.

Pakistan 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinf