By IANS
Johannesburg : Indian batting failed to live up to the expectations against Pakistan in the final of the Twenty20 World Championship, managing just 157 for five wickets in 20 overs.
Even this total would not have been possible but for Gautam Gambhir’s resolute and enterprising 75 off 54 balls (8x4s, 2x6s) and an unbeaten 30 off 16 balls (2x4s, 1×6) from young Rohit Sharma.
Yuvraj Singh, who has been in fabulous form in this competition, failed to click and managed only 14 off 19 balls (1×4) as the Pakistan bowlers and fielders looked sharp and purposeful at the New Wanderers Stadium.
Debutant Yusuf Pathan, brother of Irfan, had a sensational start to his international career by hitting pacer Mohammed Asif for a six as his first scoring stroke. But he scored 15 (8 balls, 1×4, 1×6) before getting out.
Pacer Umar Gul was the pick of the bowlers as he took three wickets for 28 in four overs.
Earlier, India got a scare off the very first ball of the match when non-striker Yusuf barely avoided being run out after hesitating to take a single called by Gambhir.
Undaunted, Yusuf hit the fourth ball of Asif’s opening over for a huge six. He hit another boundary off a wide ball from the same bowler in the third over. But off the next ball Asif took his revenge.
Asif had the tall Vadodara batsman caught off a miscued pull shot. As Pathan tried to pull the short delivery over midwicket he mistimed it and captain Shoaib Malik at mid-on ran back to grab the catch.
From 25 for one, India’s score became 40 for two when Robin Uthappa also returned to the pavilion for just eight.
As Uthappa attempted to hit over the infielders off left-arm pacer Sohail Tanvir he mistimed the shot and Shahid Afridi at extra cover took a comfortable catch.
A 63-run third-wicket partnership between Gambhir, who looked in fine touch, and Yuvraj saved the innings from total collapse and India from complete embarrassment.
However, Yuvraj failed to reproduce his form Monday and was out, top edging a forceful pull shot. Gul easily took the catch off his own bowling.
After that partnership, there was not much fight seemed to have left in the Indian camp, though young Rohit came up with another gutsy knock.
SCOREBOARD
Final, India vs. Pakistan, Twenty20 World Championship, New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
India:
Gautam Gambhir c Asif b Gul 75
Yusuf Pathan c Malik b Asif 15
Robin Uthappa c Afridi b Tanvir 8
Yuvraj Singh c & b Gul 14
Mahendra Singh Dhoni b Gul 6
Rohit Sharma not out 30
Irfan Pathan not out 3
Extras: (leg bye 1, wides 4, no ball 1)
Total: 157/5 in 20 overs
Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Yusuf, 2.4 overs), 2-40 (Uthappa, 5.4), 3-103 (Yuvraj, 13.3), 4-111 (Dhoni, 15.2), 5-
Bowling:
Mohammad Asif 3 0 25 1 (1w)
Sohail Tanvir 4 0 29 1 (2w)
Shahid Afridi 4 0 30 0
Mohammad Hafeez 3 0 25 0
Umar Gul 4 0 28 3 (1nb, 1w)
Yasir Arafat 2 0 19 0
Umpires: Simon Taufel (Australia) and Mark Benson (England)
TV umpire: Daryl Harper (Australia)
Reserve umpire: Billy Doctrove (West Indies)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)