Johannesburg, September 24
India today created history by clinching the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup with a breath-taking five-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in a summit showdown which saw fortunes fluctuating from one team to the other till the dying moments.

In a nail-biting contest, the young Indian team scored 157 for five and then held their nerves to wrap up the Pakistan innings for 152 with just three balls to spare to win their first major title in over two decades.

It was an incredible display by the Indians who relied on superb team work to maintain their all-win record against their bitter foes in World Cup matches.

The large flag-waving gathering of Indians at the Wanderers burst into celebrations when Sreesanth caught a dangerous Misbah-ul-Haq off Joginder Sharma to bring an end to the Pakistan challenge.

The contest seemed to go out of India’s hands in the 17th over when Misbah-ul-Haq clobbered Harbhajan Singh for three sixes but Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s band of young warriors roared back in great style to eventually lift the coveted trophy and the winners’ purse of $49,000.

Gautam Gambhir slammed a 54-ball 75 and Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten 30 but big guns like Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni failed to click when it mattered the most.

Chak diya: Movie star Shah Rukh Khan celebrates from the stands. — AFP

But the Indian bowlers responded to the challenge admirably by bowling their hearts out in the pulsating contest with Irfan Pathan (3-16) and RP Singh (3-27) playing a stellar role.

For Pakistan, Misbah-ul-Haq was the top scorer with a 38-ball 44 and Imran Nazir chipped in with 33 but their efforts were not enough to overhaul the Indian target.

The stunning victory not only added a glorious chapter to India’s cricketing history but also made amends for the team’s inglorious exit from the ODI World Cup in the West Indies six months ago.

Indeed, the Men in Blue sliced a piece of history for themselves showcasing great self-belief, confidence, passion and a never-say-die attitude. And they made their own destiny by their sheer performance and will to win.

Pakistan needed 13 runs off the last over bowled by Joginder Sharma, who initially seemed overawed by the enormity of the occasion. He started with a wide and followed it with a dot ball.

However, the next one went sailing into the sight screen as Misbah-ul-Haq hit his fourth six that drove India to despair.

And with just six needed off four balls, Misbah threatened to pilot Pakistan to a dream triumph all on his own. And yet, as it were, he went for a delicate chip over fine leg, a dangerous shot to play under the circumstances, didn’t connect well enough for Sreesanth to take the most memorable catch of his career.

Pakistan were bowled out for 152 in 19.3 overs chasing India’s 157 for 5. Misbah made 43 off 38 balls with four sixes.

And indeed it was the most sensational, thrilling end to a World Cup final.

At one stage, Pakistan needed 35 off the last 3 overs. Tanvir Sohail then hit Sreesanth for two sixes in the 18th over before getting bowled off the last ball. It left Pakistan to get 20 runs off the last two overs with two wickets in hand.

It all boiled down to 13 in the last over and it witnessed a great finish.

RP Singh made early inroads for India and took three for 26 while Irfan Pathan’s magical spell in the middle overs rocked Pakistan enabling him to finish with three for 16. Even Joginder Sharma did well to finish with 2 for 20.

RP Singh gave India a perfect start removing Mohammad Hafeez (1) and Kamran Akmal (0) off successive overs in the 1st and 3rd over of the innings but, in between, Imran Nazir did a lot of damage taking 21 runs off Sreesanth’s first over.

Hafeez was caught at first slip by Uthappa while Akmal played across and lost his leg stump.

Imran Nazir roughed up Sreesanth with his audacious strokeplay in his very first over smashing him for two sixes and two fours.

The first ball went over cover for a four, the second ball went over mid-wicket for a six, the third ball again went for a six over thirdman and the fifth ball was whacked over point for another boundary.

Luckily for India, they got him out of the way in the sixth over when Robin Uthappa’s direct hit from mid-off saw him short of the crease by inches.

Younis Khan became the fourth casualty in the innings when he holed out in the deep to Joginder Sharma for 24.

However, it was Irfan Pathan who really rocked the Pakistan innings in the middle overs when he dismissed captain Shoaib Malik (8) and big hitter Shahid Afridi (0) within a space of three deliveries.

Malik, who crawled to 8 off 17-balls went for a pull from outside the off stump and was picked at mid-wicket by Rohit Sharma. Afridi hooked to hit Pathan out of the ground, didn’t hit it well, and presented a skier to Sreesanth running in from long-off.

Irfan Pathan was named the Man of the Match. — PTI

Man of the match: Irfan Pathan
Player of the Cup: Shahid Afridi