India beat Pakistan in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup in the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
India bowled out Pakistan with three balls remaining to win the first Twenty20 World Cup final by five runs. This was India's first international title since it won the 1983 World Cup.
India won the toss and elected to bat but could post only a moderate score of 157 runs at the loss of five wickets. For Pakistan, Gul was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 3-28.
India won the toss and elected to bat but could post only a moderate score of 157 runs at the loss of five wickets. For Pakistan, Gul was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 3-28.
"We should have got 180," Dhoni said. "But Pakistan's bowling was really excellent, especially Umar Gul." "We really wanted to do well because we played so badly in the World Cup," India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. "And it was a real team effort that won the tournament for us."
Pakistan started its innings badly, losing Mohammad Hafeez in the first over to R. P. Singh, but Imran Nazir compensated for that poor start by taking 21 runs off Sreesanth's first over. With wickets falling regularly and Nazir run out for 33 by a great direct hit from Robin Uthappa, Misbah-ul-Haq had to try and lift his team with 43 off 38 balls.
Tailender Tanvir also hit two sixes right at the end, but Pathan led the Indian bowlers with 3-16, while Singh's 3-26 helped set up the middle-overs squeeze which eventually led to the victory.
Tanvir fell to make it 138-8 and Pakistan lost its last three wickets for 14 runs. R. P. Singh and Ifran Pathan each took three wickets from their four overs for a combined total of just 42 runs, but it was Joginder Sharma who was asked to bowl the final over.
With Pakistan needing 13 runs off the last six balls, Joginder Sharma started with a horrible wide. He then bowled a dot ball but then conceded a six in the next ball. But he held his nerve and lured Misbah-ul-Haq into an attempted paddle, which went high into the air and straight to Sreesanth at fine leg inside the circle.
"We thought we would be able to chase between 150 and 160 easily," Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said. "But we lost early wickets, and that didn't help us." "For us, the turning point was Imran Nazir's run out - we were always struggling after that," Malik said. He also condoned Shahid Afridi's dismissal for a duck, caught in the deep for a duck off his first ball. "That's the way Shahid plays; he is player of the tournament, so it's an honour to have him in our team," he said.
Pakistan cricket lovers react angrily to World Cup defeat
Minutes after Shoaib Malik's team lost the Twenty20 World Cup final to India in Johannesburg, angry Pakistani cricket lovers burnt effigies of Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi to vent their anger.
Minutes after Shoaib Malik's team lost the Twenty20 World Cup final to India in Johannesburg, angry Pakistani cricket lovers burnt effigies of Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi to vent their anger.
In yet another incident that revealed that people in Pakistan can be very unforgiving when it comes to conceding defeat against India, the incident occurred at a stadium in Lahore where the Asian Football Confederation tournament was being played.
In Karachi too, mobs gathered to raise slogans against the Pakistani players, particularly Afridi and Younis.
"What the hell! This is the second time we lost a match to India in the World Cup. Such a big match and such careless play from senior players like Younis and Afridi. It is so disappointing to lose like this to India," Kamil Butt said, as his friends engaged in animated discussion on the final in a fast-food restaurant.
Given the level of interest in the final, five-star hotels, fast food chains and small restaurants had set up television screens and arranged special Iftaar menus to attract crowds.
"We were so happy at half time because we restricted the Indians to just 157. On such a wicket, we were sure Pakistan will finally beat India in a World Cup match," complained Shakir, a student.
