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WORLD TWENTY20 FINAL, Johannesburg:
India 157-5 (20 overs) bt Pakistan 152 (19.3 overs) by five runs
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By Mark Mitchener
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1655: Bollywood film star Shah Rukh Khan, known as "King Khan", is hugging the Indian players, but they'll be partying long into the night back in India. That's it from the live cricket text here on BBC Sport - ooh, for about a week, as next Monday, normal service will be resumed here for England's first one-day international against Sri Lanka.
Many thanks to all of you who've followed the final, and indeed the whole tournament, here on BBC Sport - cheers to the many thousands of you who have e-mailed in your droves, and apologies if yours was one of the many that we simply didn't have room for. It's been a fun tournament - I just hope you've enjoyed the coverage as much as my colleagues and I have enjoyed bringing it to you. Thank you and good evening.
"One winner - Cricket... simple!"
Count, Amsterdam in the TMS inbox
1647: Dhoni lifts the trophy as the fireworks go off, the champagne is sprayed and the celebrations begin in earnest. The BCCI (the Indian board) have announced a big financial prize (US$2m) which the team will receive for winning, while Yuvraj Singh will also be rewarded for his "six sixes in an over" feat.
"This is something I will treasure for the rest of my
life. We're a young side, no-one expected us to win, and I think we
deserve a big celebration. I gave Joginder Sharma the last over as
Harbhajan was not sure he was getting his yorkers right. But the way
Joginder bowled was very good. I think Twenty20 will be a big hit in
India, but after the way we went out of the World Cup, it will do the
repair work for that"
India captain Mahendra Dhoni
1645: India's winning players collect their medals. Harbhajan is still wrapped in an Indian flag. Dhoni is wearing a sleeveless sweater without a shirt underneath.
"I want to congratulate India for winning. A friend of mine told me I would be man of the series, so this is for him"
Player of the tournament Shahid Afridi
1643: Player of the tournament is Shahid Afridi.
"It's a great feeling - I was under pressure, but held
my nerves and bowled it in the right areas. The pitch was a bit on the
slow side, but I tried to mix up the pace and throw in the odd quick
one as well. All the bowlers did really well throughout the tournament,
we played as a team, batted well and I think we deserved it"
Man-of-the-match Irfan Pathan
1641: Man of the match, having taken a vital 3-16, is Irfan Pathan.
"I want to thank everyone back in Pakistan and around
the world - sorry we didn't win but we did give 100%. We bowled
superbly, but we played a few bad shots"
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik
1638: The umps get their medals first, then Pakistan get their loser's medals. Always difficult to walk past a trophy which is about to be lifted by your arch-rivals.
1636: Here's the presentation beginning to start. I don't think anyone can argue that this has been a fantastic tournament - it seemed to get so many things right that the World Cup in the Caribbean got wrong, and the atmosphere in the grounds seemed electric.
"What a match! Hats off to Haq... almost won it for
Pakistan - but all in all, a match worth remembering for many years to
come. Excellent bowling by Singh and Pathan"
Pratik in the TMS inbox
"Could someone please scrap the 50-over World Cup... WHAT A MATCH!"
Nadeem, Birmingham, in the TMS inbox
"Great text commentary for us poor people stuck in
offices with no TV. Thanks to my texting mates in Mumbai, 'fireworks
going off everywhere!' and you really brought it alive"
James in the TMS inbox
"What a climax to a great tournament!"
Richard in Northampton in the TMS inbox
"Whose idea was T20? This is what cricket should always have been like, it can also be an Olympic event"
Naeem in Canada in the TMS inbox
"The crowds have been good, the cricket has been good. Dhoni has led
India brilliantly, his bowling changes have been superb and you have to
give him credit for leading India all the way in this competition"
Graham Gooch on TMS
1619: The Indian players grab some of the many hundreds of India flags around the stadium to do a lap of honour for their supporters. I'm still getting my breath back after that finish - and I'm just sat at a computer in London!
"What on earth was he doing playing that shot? He had three balls left, why didn't he just hit it down the ground again?"
A disbelieving Graham Gooch on TMS
INDIA BEAT PAKISTAN BY FIVE RUNS TO WIN WORLD TWENTY20
19.3 overs - WICKET - Misbah c Santh b J Sharma 43 - Pkn 152
The
floodlights come on. He tries an unorthodox Ashraful-style flick over
fine leg - and is caught by our old friend Sree Santh at fine leg! INDIA HAVE WON BY FIVE RUNS - what a finish!
19.2 overs - Pkn 152-9
A low full-toss - and Misbah's clubbed it over long-on for six! Six now needed off four balls.
19.1 overs - Pkn 146-9
A priceless dot ball as Misbah goes down on one knee but makes no contact. 12 needed off five balls.
19.0 overs - Pkn 146-9
Joginder Sharma to bowl the last over of the tournament. Misbah on
strike, 13 needed. First ball is a wild Steve Harmison-esque wide to
the vacant second slip area where Dhoni dives across to stop it! 12
needed off six balls.
19th over - Pkn 145-9
The last man is Mohammad
Asif. What will he do? He wouldn't want to take a single as Misbah
needs to be on strike for the last over - but he swipes, gets an edge
and it sails to third man for four! 13 needed from the last over.
18.5 overs - WICKET - Gul b RP Singh - Pkn 141-9
Gul swings and misses, and his leg stump flies out of the ground. 17 needed from seven, just one wicket left now.
18.4 overs - Pkn 141-8
Misbah works it to leg for a single. 17 from eight needed.
18.3 overs - Pkn 140-8
Misbah goes for the big hit, a huge appeal for LBW but Taufel is unmoved. 18 from nine.
18.2 overs - Pkn 140-8
Gul is cut in two but runs through for a bye as Dhoni is hit on the inside of the leg. 18 needed off 10, and Misbah on strike.
18.1 overs - Pkn 139-8
Umar Gul is the new batsman, but Misbah is on strike to RP Singh and he
takes a single off the first ball. 19 needed off 11 balls.
18th over - WICKET - Tanvir b Santh 12 - Pkn 138-8
Sree Santh
returns to the attack, left-handed Tanvir hoists him towards long-on -
and he hoists it over the boundary fielder for six! 29 needed from 17.
Santh goes round the wicket, strays down the leg side and Mark Benson
spreads his arms to signal a wide. 28 needed from 17. The next one is
in the blockhole, Tanvir digs it out and evades Santh's throw to the
bowler's end. 27 needed from 16. What can Misbah do now? He swings and
misses outside off-stump. 27 needed from 15 balls. The next ball is
slower, Misbah works it away to midwicket for a single - having seen
that six from Tanvir, he's not refusing singles any more! 26 needed
from 14 balls. Tanvir then hoists Santh over the hot dog stand at
square leg for six! 20 needed from 13 balls. Then Tanvir swings and
misses, Santh hits, and Tanvir's bowled! An astonishing over - and I'm
going to go ball-by-ball for the last two overs as I can't stand the
tension!
"Come on Misbah, never mind you have the same name as my little sister, she hits big too!"
Soban Bashir in the TMS inbox
17th over - Pkn 123-7
Harbhajan boosts the
score by sending down a wide, before Misbah hoists him over long-on for
six. Is he Pakistan's last hope? He refuses a single, presumably
thinking he's got to get these in boundaries - and he's vindicated as
Harbhajan drops one in short and Misbah clubs him over midwicket for
six. Another low full-toss - and another six over midwicket! "This game
is not over yet!" says Arlo White on TMS. 35 needed from 18 balls.
"Misbah is the one man who could still take Pakistan to an unlikely victory"
Sunil Gavaskar on TMS
16th over - WICKET - Arafat b I Pathan 15 - Pkn 104-7
Misbah
plays and misses twice, then drills one to long-on where a single off
Irfan Pathan brings up the hundred. Arafat bludgeons a lofted slog over
the bowler's head for four. Then Arafat has a wild cross-batted swing
to the last ball, he misses and Pathan hits. Pakistan starting to run
out of batsmen. Sohail Tanvir is the new man.
"Regarding bowlers who deliver beamers, I think Mr T should confront them in a tank and make an example of them"
Robbie, Liverpool (or rather Liverfoo') in the TMS inbox
[I pity the foo' who would bowl a beamer at Mr T - MM]
15th over - Pkn 99-6
Misbah reverse-sweeps
Harbhajan for two, and then clubs a low full-toss to long-on for a
single. Arafat takes a single but Misbah is then unable to pierce the
infield. Another legside slog yields just a single for Misbah - and
Arafat is then dropped by Uthappa running in at long-on, who adds a
couple of tumbling rolls for artistic impression, but the chance is put
down. 59 needed from 30 balls.
"Mark, are you on a bonus for the number of times you
mention Paul Grunill in your commentaries? If so print this email and
there's another tenner chalked up"
Neil, Slough in the TMS inbox [It's called keeping your bosses happy - MM]
"My office in Santiago also has a power cut, hoping the
laptop battery has enough juice to see me through to the end of the
game. All things considered would rather be without power in a bar
(although warm lager is never the answer)"
Rich, Chile, in the TMS inbox
14th over - Pkn 92-6
Still Irfan Pathan, and he keeps the runs down well as Pakistan are
restricted to two singles off the first half of the over. Arafat takes
a wild swipe as he tries to get Misbah on strike but fails to connect.
He finally gets one away, and Misbah then takes a single to farm the
strike.
"I am six months pregnant and am sitting at the edge of
my seat screaming (which is probably not the most healthy thing) and
only allowed to follow this online as we are not allowed to have the
TVs on anything except bloomberg at work! THIS IS JUST TOO MUCH
EXCITEMENT FOR ME!"
Saira Haque Ali in the TMS inbox
13th over - Pkn 88-6
Harbhajan's finally on with his off-spin, Misbah takes a single, and
earns a second from a misfield by RP Singh. They scamper some singles,
but the required rate is in double figures as Harbhajan spears one in
at Arafat's feet, and with a stroke of fortune, zips down to fine leg
for four.
"Anyone who saw Afridi's innings for Leicestershire in
the 2001 C&G Trophy final against Somerset at Lord's will not be
surprised at him throwing his wicket away on the big occasion"
BBC Sport's Paul Grunill, not in the TMS inbox but sitting across the desk from me
12th over - Pkn 78-6
The batsmen crossed on that catch, so Misbah is facing and he takes a single. New batsman is Yasir Arafat.
11.4 overs - WICKET - Afridi c Santh b I Pathan 0 - Pkn 77-6
Afridi's first ball is a wide - he lifts his first legitimate ball,
which is a slower ball, high to long-on (who had been moved back there
that very ball) and is caught! Advantage India? Definitely!
11.3 overs - WICKET - Malik c R Sharma b I Pathan 8 - Pkn 76-5
Irfan
Pathan continues, Malik pulls a short one to midwicket and is caught!
Advantage India? But wait a minute, who's next? Shahid Afridi! Game on!
11th over - Pkn 76-4
Aggers on TMS says this
is an important partnership for Pakistan - and after Malik takes a
single off Joginder Sharma, Misbah replies with a well-judged two.
India then appeal for a catch behind, but umpire Simon Taufel signals a
wide. The game is being watched by Bollywood film star Shah Rukh Khan,
wearing a big pair of mirrored sunglasses, and we could be in for a
thriller here.
"Crikey, this is going to be a close run thing if it
carries on at one wicket in one over followed by 10-20 runs in the
next! Still the game is amazing! Cannot contemplate the fact we're
actually going to have to work from next week as there will be no
cricket to 'watch' on TMS text! Boohoo! Come on India!"
Pritesh, 'working hard' in London in the TMS inbox
10th over - Pkn 70-4
A change of Pathans in the attack, as Irfan Pathan comes on and Malik
works him away for a single to leg. Misbah dabs a single to third man
to get off the mark. Three more singles come from the over as Pakistan
reach the halfway stage.
"I have to ask. What is the connection with the Houston
Astros, Mark? Does this mean you hate Roger Clemens for abandoning the
"beloveds" for the hated Yankees?"
Joe, Pennsylvania, USA, in the TMS inbox
The Astros were quite literally the first team I ever heard of when first visiting the USA as a seven-year-old. I wasn't too bitter about "The Rocket" leaving - just pleased to have had such a legendary player turn out for my team, and I even saw him pitch for them at a game I attended in 2005. Would love to continue this, but that's enough baseball chat - back to the cricket!
"I think the momentum may be slightly with India now"
Former Australia batsman Michael Slater on TMS
9th over - Pkn 65-4
New batsman is
Misbah-ul-Haq, who looks a little nervous despite two half-centuries in
the tournament so far, including one against India in the tied match.
He's unable to get any of the last three balls of the over away, as
Yuvraj in the field yells "come on" to his team-mates.
8.3 overs - WICKET - Younus c Y Pathan b J Sharma - 14 - Pkn 65-4
Younus tries a big hit which sails into the hands of mid-on. The game very much in the balance at this stage.
8th over - Pkn 63-3
Debutant Yusuf Pathan is
on for some spin - off-spin in fact - and Younus and Malik tickle him
around for five singles. 95 needed from 72 balls at this stage.
"Hi there from Goa! In a bar where there's a power cut,
so only way of knowing score is through the BBC website on my
Blackberry! Lots of nervous Indians in the bar!!"
Toby and Natalie in the TMS inbox
"India have got to swap their bowlers around and use the variation, as Pakistan have made a good start"
Graham Gooch on TMS
7th over - Pkn 58-3
A change of bowling as Joginder Sharma bowls to Younus, who
cover-drives for four. He takes a single, while captain Malik is still
playing himself in. He whips one into the leg-side, where it goes
straight to Uthappa in a midwicket "shortstop"-style position. Five
from the over.
"Does Yuvraj Singh remind you of Happy Gilmore?!"
Mandeep Bhaur, Leicester, in the TMS inbox
6th over - Pkn 53-3
New batsman is Shoaib
Malik, and he lets the last two balls go through. Discussion is rife
over whether Nazir was injured - it looked as he was, but as he'd come
into the match with a pre-existing groin problem, he wouldn't have been
allowed a runner.
5.4 overs - WICKET - Nazir run out 33 - Pkn 53-3
Santh
continues, from the Golf Course end, trying to keep Younus tied down
again. Younus then steers him to leg and the chasing Harbhajan can't
prevent the four. The fifty is brought up as Younus spots Santh's
slower ball which he hoists away for another boundary. Younus then
punches one to mid-off, Nazir runs to the striker's end and the stumps
are splayed by a direct hit from Uthappa. A quick consultation from the
third ump, and he's gone!
5th over - Pkn 44-2
Nazir and Younus exchange
singles, before Nazir carves one down to third man for four. Aggers on
TMS notices substitute fielder Dinesh Karthik at midwicket, but the
poor visibility of the Indian names and numbers on their shirts (pale
yellow on light blue) means they don't know who's off. RP sends down a
no-ball, and Younus despatches the resulting free hit for four through
square leg.
"Two friends of mine - Attif (Pakistan) in Brussels and
Raj (Indian) in the States are getting down to some good old fashioned
sledging over email. With our cricket season finishing yesterday, it is
good to know that cricket banter never ends"
Guy, Brussels, in the TMS inbox
4th over - Pkn 31-2
The slips return as Santh bowls to Younus, but the first ball even has
my usually mild-mannered "gaffer" Paul Grunill saying "oh, pitch it up!".
The next ball is also short outside off-stump but sails straight to a
fielder at backward point. Santh then has an LBW shout against Younus -
but having been fined 25% of his match fee at the semi-final for
excessive appealing, only appeals just the once. It looks to be going
over. Younus leaves the next one, and when he drives the last ball to
mid-on for a dot, astonishingly Santh has a maiden - and figures of
2-1-21-0. Those were the exact figures I had when I last turned my arm
over, but I don't get paid as much as Sree Santh...
3rd over - Pkn 31-2
New batsman is Younus Khan
(formerly known as Younis Khan). He guides one down to third man for a
single. Nazir then flicks one off his legs and it shoots away for four
past fine leg. Singh has 2-8 from two overs.
2.3 overs - WICKET - Akmal b RP Singh 0 - Pkn 26-2
Nazir
takes a single to bring his score to 23 off nine balls - but RP Singh
strikes back by clean bowling Akmal for a duck with one that cuts back.
What a game!
2nd over - Pkn 25-1
It's Sree Santh for the
second over. Dare I call him "wayward"? Maybe I should have done, as
he's bowling to a field containing two slips. The first ball is flashed
through the covers for four, and Nazir then hoists him over midwicket
for six. The next ball is edged over the slips and over the fielder at
third man for six. That's 16 off Santh's first three balls - he's not
doing too much staring now. Hafeez swings and misses at the fourth, but
the fifth lands just inside the cover boundary for four. The slips are
removed, belatedly. Nazir takes a single off the last ball - 21 off the
over. Sree Santh? Wayward? I rest my case.
"In reply to the question earlier for the champagne
moment of the tournament it's a no brainer really: Zimbabwe beating the
Aussies. In a country where the odds are stacked so heavily against
every single player on a daily basis, to see them beat the Aussies, the
finest cricketing team of my generation, and to do so magnificently
with pride despite Mugabe and his henchmen... well it brings a tear. I
called every Aussie I knew that night and I've framed the scorecard
twice - one for the office, one for home"
David Lee, Kenilworth, in the TMS inbox
1st over - Pkn 4-1
Slightly surprisingly, keeper Kamran Akmal is thrust into the action at
number three, and his first ball accrues two leg byes. At least the
tortoise-like Salman Butt's not playing.
RP Singh takes the new ball, and Mohammad Hafeez takes a single off the first ball, while his partner Imran Nazir follows suit off the third. Hafeez then chips one straight to slip - a great opening for India.
"My missus took a rare step and showed an interest in my
life via reading your cricket commentary; Her first (and last) comment
was on beamers (re: Greg Farrell) and how she believed they should be
called beaners. Silly woman..."
Chris, Manchester, in the TMS inbox
1443: India are out in their "huddle", preparing to defend their total. Aggers was joined in the interval in the TMS box by Stephen Brenkley from the Independent, who as an e-mailer pointed out in a previous match, is a sound-alike for comedian David Mitchell from the "Mitchell and Webb" show. You can just imagine him saying "Ooh, that's a bad miss" at dropped catches.
"Any other Indians at work in the States bring a little
something to mix with their soda at the office today? I know I did -
come on India!"
Sumit, St Louis, in the TMS inbox
[I saw St Louis on the TV last night, watching my beloved Houston
Astros self-destruct against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium - MM]
"We used to play cricket in our cul-de sac with the kids
when they were little and you could catch the ball after one bounce on
a car roof. A parked car, of course. And if you cried when you were
out, it was time to go to bed"
Steve Bouckley in the TMS inbox
[Was it jumpers for goalposts, er, stumps? - MM]
"How is Drew accessing the BBC website in traffic in Mumbai?"
Mahdev in Telford in the TMS inbox
Mahdev, you can keep track of BBC Sport wherever you are - even on your
mobile or PDA. Just as long as you're not the one doing the driving.
"This is great fun! Far more entertaining and eventful
commentary than normal cricket matches. How on earth am I to get
through work days when the competition is over?! Come on India"
Andy in the TMS inbox
"This is intense! I am stuck at work missing possibly
the most awesome showdown in a few years! Good on both teams for
getting here, but COME ON PAKISTAN!"
Faisal Ansari in the TMS inbox
"Samir Vaghmar saying that all beamers should count for
10 runs plus two free hits. Why stop there? Why not immediately attach
the bowler to one of the fireworks and blast him into space?"
Greg Farrell, Stokenchurch, in the TMS inbox
"It's a middling score - Pakistan would have taken that at the start,
but India will think they've got the runs on the board, although it's
not as many as they'd wanted, they came strong at the end. They've also
shown they've been able to knock over early wickets in this tournament,
and they need to keep it tight"
Graham Gooch on TMS
INDIA INNINGS
20th over - Ind 157-5
There's no doubt, India need a big over here. A remix of the Knight Rider theme tune by Panjabi MC rings out over the P
Huge offer awaits Twenty20 champs
Stanford wants to stage a high-profile game in the Caribbean
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The best players from next year's Stanford Twenty20 tournament will be chosen for the Stanford Super Team.
India earned the invitation to meet them after beating Pakistan by five runs in Monday's inaugural ICC World Twenty20 final in Johannesburg.
Billionaire Texan Sir Allen Stanford, who lives in Antigua, is behind the project, putting up the $5m prize.
Stanford said: "Since this is the first World Twenty20 and that is the format of our tournament, we felt it was fitting to have the winners play our team next year."
Stanford organised a game between his Super Team and South Africa last year, after the first running of the island tournament, won by Guyana.
But the match, set to take place in November, was cancelled because of a scheduling conflict.
The second running of the Stanford Twenty20 takes place for the second time in January and February and includes 21 islands.
Stanford's Twenty20 project has the backing of the West Indies Cricket Board.
WICB president Julian Hunte said: "I am extremely pleased to be working with the Stanford Twenty20 board in their initiatives to bring West Indies cricket back to its former glories.
"This added international component will go a long way to achieving that goal."
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