| 24 SEPTEMBER 2007 is one of the most important | | | | win over World Champions Australia. Just after the |
| days in the history of cricket, as the first final of ICC | | | | wins of their respective teams, the cricket fans of |
| World Twenty20 is going to be held on this day. On | | | | the Indian sub-continent started to celebrate by |
| Monday, two of the titans, India and Pakistan are | | | | bursting crackers and by other means. On Saturday, |
| going to meet at the Wanderers Stadium, | | | | after India's win over Australia in the semi-final of |
| Johannesburg in South Africa. It is really interesting | | | | World Twenty20 Cup, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni |
| that both these team made it to the finals of World | | | | said, "It's the biggest stage and the biggest match |
| Twenty20, just six months after first-round exits | | | | you can play, it's a match that needs to be played |
| from the World Cup 2007 in West Indies. However, | | | | with intensity and I think we are ready to do that." |
| forgetting their World Cup 2007 failure as a distant | | | | While vice-captain Yuvraj Singh, who made a quick |
| nightmare, India and Pakistan turned the tables in the | | | | 70 off 30 balls and was declared man of the match |
| inaugural World Twenty20 Cup. Initially, it was not | | | | on Saturday, said, "India versus Pakistan is a dream |
| clear if India and Pakistan would be able to reach to | | | | final, the whole world is going to be watching." |
| the finals of World Twenty20, as other teams like | | | | Indian and Pakistani cricket fans are praying for their |
| Australia, New Zealand and host South Africa were | | | | respective teams. Who would win, will become clear |
| also hot favourites. | | | | before 9 pm today. We do not know what will |
| The young Indian team landed in South Africa | | | | happen, but Indian team is surely looking for the title, |
| without their big guns - Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav | | | | in the shorter and newest version of game. This may |
| Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan. Interestingly, | | | | happen, as the Indian team has learned how to win |
| the average age of the players is below 24 years. | | | | matches. We can expect our batsmen - Virender |
| Here I would specially like to mention that India | | | | Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj |
| team's achievement is remarkable, as they do not | | | | Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to |
| have a special coach for the tournament. The strong | | | | come up with good innings and bowlers - RP Singh, |
| determination of players and teamwork took them | | | | Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh and Joginder |
| to finals. | | | | Sharma to return with magical figures. |
| On the other hand, the Pakistan team, which passed | | | | Moreover, it is a great moment for all Indians and we |
| through a dismal phase after death of former coach | | | | hope that Indian team will repeat the magic of World |
| Bob Woolmer in Jamaica, are also having a | | | | Cup 1983. It is a truth that team India has a 'final |
| comparatively less-experienced team. Middle-order | | | | phobia' and that has taken away victory from India's |
| batsman Mohammad Yousuf and all-rounder Abdul | | | | hands several times in the past. However, in this |
| Razzaq, who had a contract rift with the PCB | | | | World Twenty20 Cup, team India is looking different, |
| (Pakistan Cricket Board) could not make their place in | | | | their excellent performances and fighting spirit will |
| the team and controversial strike bowler Shoaib | | | | surely make them champions. Till the start of the |
| Akhtar, who hit the teammate Mohammad Asif, was | | | | game we can only say- "come on India! Come on |
| sent home from South Africa. | | | | Dhoni's army! We want the first World Twenty20 |
| Despite such ups and downs, both India and Pakistan | | | | Cup from you guys. Just stand up, gather your |
| played exceptional cricket in South Africa. Apart from | | | | potential and score a sensational win over our |
| a single defeat against New Zealand in the first | | | | neighbour Pakistan." |
| match of Super 8s, the Indian team performed very | | | | India Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Yuvraj |
| well all through the tournament. The India team, | | | | Singh (Vice-captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam |
| under supervision of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, defeated | | | | Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, Joginder |
| Pakistan in the first round, in a 'bowl out' by 3-0, | | | | Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Rudra Pratap Singh, S |
| after a tied game. Later they beat England and the | | | | Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Piyush |
| host South Africa, in must win matches in the Super | | | | Chawla, Ajit Agarkar and Dinesh Karthik. |
| 8s. | | | | Pakistan Squad: Shoaib Malik (Captain), Salman Butt |
| Meanwhile, the other finalist Pakistan, under the | | | | (Vice-captain), Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Kamran |
| captaincy of Shoaib Malik lost only one game against | | | | Akmal, Mohammad Asif, Sohail Tanvir, Shahid Afridi, |
| India but won the rest of their matches in the | | | | Fawad Alam, Umar Gul, Mohammad Hafeez, |
| tournament against Scotland, Sri Lanka, Australia and | | | | Misbah-ul-Haq, Yasir Arafat, Iftikhar Anjum and Abdur |
| Bangladesh in the Super 8s stage. | | | | Rehman. |
| In the first semi-final, Pakistan beat New Zealand and | | | | Match Schedule: at 1730 IST. |
| in the second semi-final, India scored a fine 15 runs | | | | |