MOHALI, India (AFP) – Disciplined bowling and a fortune-tinged 85 by Sachin Tendulkar saw India beat Pakistan by 29 runs on Wednesday to set-up a World Cup final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Saturday.
Pakistan, chasing 261 for victory, were dismissed for 231 with a ball to spare in a match that had assumed huge political as well as sporting significance in the build-up.
Misbah-ul-Haq, who top-scored for Pakistan with 56, helped take them from 208 for nine to a situation where an unlikely 30 was needed off the last over.
But Zaheer Khan held his nerve, bowling four dot balls before Misbah holed out to Virat Kohli to the delight of a capacity crowd.
India’s 260 for nine against their arch-rivals was built around man-of-the-match Tendulkar’s 85.
But they might have made considerably less had not the star batsman been dropped four times in an innings that still left him one short of a hundred international hundreds.
Left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz led Pakistan’s attack with career-best figures of five for 46.
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who won the toss and batted, said it was important to treat the slowing PCA Stadium pitch with respect.
“We got off to a fantastic start through Virender Sehwag
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