PAKISTAN VS INDIA what more can you say... Biggest match of the year greatest rivalry in Sports HISTORY IMO. What other final would you rather watch. This will be a great match and the winner will be the 1st ever 20/20 world cup champions. It is balanced and both team has a reply for each other... Shahid Khan Afridi vs Yuvraj Singh. Umar Gul vs Sressanth. What a match I cant wait till tommorw. SO THE MAIN QUESTION IS WHO WILL WIN THE FIRST EVER 20/20 WORLD CUP???


I think it will be Pakistan because they have a better batting attack and also a great bowling/ all round attack but this is my opinion what is yours?

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CRICKET IS IN MY BLOOD

You are asking the impossible Uham - both teams where dark horses.

If we could not have guessed that Australia would not be in the final - I have not a clue against these two attacking teams India and Pakistan, I should imagine it will be a high scoring match.

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Ern

I think India will edge it - I hope so anyway. They have the better batting, but Pak have the clear advantage in bowling with Asif, Gul, the awkward Tanvir and Afridi's emergence and current form as a frontline spinner in limited overs cricket.

IMO, the man who is most likely to cause problems to the Indian batsmen is Umar Gul. They have to come up with a plan to make most of his 4 overs.

Toss is perhaps not that important in a day match in Johannesburg. But the team that wins the toss might want to bat first and put the opposition under pressure.

When India won the ODI World Cup in 1983 interest in India for One Day Cricket soared, and has never really dipped since.

If India wins this tournament it will please and annoy people in same measure.

Please, those like me, who love the game and think that Twenty20 Cricket is the way forward for One day Games (Tests will still be the pinnacle for me though), because interest in India (Crickets largest audience) for the format will probably do the same as in 1983.

Annoy, those who think Twenty20 would just die a death, but because of the growth in India, which I fell will happen, the format will expand and grow rapidly

The BCCI, who up until recently have been very reluctant, will find that the pressure at home for Twenty20 games will become immense, and commercially they may have to put aside their scepticism and adopt the format.

I really hope India will win, as they have been the most entertaining of teams and any team that can knock South Africa (terrible winners) and Australia (arrogant and annoying) out of any major tournament, is fine by me!!

I think psychologically India will have the edge. Despite Shoaib Malik's calm exterior, I don't think he is as laid back as Inzamam-ul-Haq and there is a small chance that he might get flustered under pressure. But inida will have to bring in Agarkar in Joginder Sharma's place, but instead of making him opening the bowling to powerplay field settings, Agarkar should be used later on, much the same way as Pakistan use Umar Gul.

India win the toss and BAT first.

Sunny day at The Wanderers Stadium and the atmosphere is electric with anticipation at this contest between two sides with abundant flair in this format. Ravi Shastri just interviewed Malcolm Speed who said that 20/20 world cups will be played every two years except in a ODI WC year in which it will be a three year gap. Test countries have agreed to limit international 20/20 fixtures to no more than 4 away and three home matches per year so revenue from ODI cricket is not effected. I wonder how long this situation will last? My feeling is 20/20 will become just as important and popular in the cricket calander and that the public will demand to see more 20/20 internationals. My major concern with 20/20 cricket is the potential to cause more injuries to the players because of the quick running between wickets and greater risks in fielding where players are diving a lot to cut-off boundaries. Let's hope for a cracking final. Both sides appear to be evenly matched. India have won the toss and elected to bat first and set a target to defend.

Vital wicket of YK Pathan taken in the third over off Asif's bowling. He looked dangerous already having hit a big six off Asif so important wicket for Pakistan should stem the runs early on.

Update: G Gambhir chalks up his third 50 of the tournament. I think Gambhir has a big future in India cricket. I won't be surprised to see him hold down a regular spot in the Test team in a few years.

Update: Sensational bowling by Umar Gul to remove MS Dhoni. Bowls a beamer followed by a nasty bouncer to unsettle Dhoni then a very full, quick delivery which hits bat and goes on to the stumps. Umar Gul has a great future in international cricket for Pakistan.

You are right Mike - that over was great, pacey, well-directed and varied; it would have been an aggressive, threatening over in any form of cricket.

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A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes
Mark Twain

I always thought that Gul might trouble the Indian batsmen - I did say so in my very first post of this thread. Looks like a sub-150 score for India - not good at Jo'burg.