MOHALI, India, March 30, (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 and Sachin (48 runs in 5.5 overs) but as the game progressed the wicket got slower, and in the middle overs it was difficult to score,” said Dhoni.
“It was important to just play the bowling with respect. 260 was a good score for this pitch. It was turning.”
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi admitted his team had missed their chances to dismiss Tendulkar who was dropped on 27, 45, 70 and 81 in a butter-fingered fielding performance.
Pakistan saw Kamran Akmal start their pursuit with a first ball four off Zaheer. But the left-arm quick had his revenge with a slower ball the opener sliced to Yuvraj Singh at point to leave Pakistan 44 for one.
Mohammad Hafeez made 43 before he was caught behind after trying to sweep seamer Munaf Patel.
Yuvraj, out for a golden duck, atoned in front of his home crowd with two wickets for no runs in five balls as Pakistan slumped to 106 for four.
The left-arm spinner bowled Asad Shafiq (30) as the batsman made room to cut and then had the experienced Younus Khan (13) caught at cover by Suresh Raina.
Umar Akmal, however, counter-attacked in trademark style, pulling and driving Yuvraj for the first two sixes of the match.

But on 29 he was bowled by an arm ball from local hero Harbhajan Singh to leave Pakistan 142 for five.
Pakistan required 84 off the last 10 overs and needed a big innings from big-hitting but out of form Afridi. Tendulkar was dropped again, on 45, when Younus at mid-off failed to hold on to a mistimed drive off leg-spinner Afridi.
Riaz, however, had Kohli caught by Umar Akmal at backward point and next ball clean bowled Yuvraj with a swinging full toss.
Tendulkar was given a third reprieve by Pakistan on 70 when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal failed to hold a tough chance off an edged Afridi leg-break.
And he was on 81 when a leaping Umar Akmal at short mid-wicket dropped a checked drive against off-spinner Hafeez.
However, Afridi ended his innings when he took a sharp catch at short extra-cover off Ajmal. Tendulkar faced 115 balls with 11 fours.
Riaz had Dhoni lbw before completing his five-wicket haul when Zaheer was caught behind.

India vs Pakistan Scoreboard

MOHALI, India, March 30, (AP): Scoreboard Wednesday after India’s 29-run win over Pakistan in the World Cup semifinal at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium:
INDIA
Virender Sehwag lbw b Riaz 38
Sachin Tendulkar c Afridi b Ajmal 85
Gautam Gambhir st Akmal b Hafeez 27
Virat Kohli c U. Akmal b Riaz 9
Yuvraj Singh b Riaz 0
Mahendra Singh Dhoni lbw b Riaz 25
Suresh Raina not out 36
Harbhajan Singh st Akmal b Ajmal 12
Zaheer Khan c Akmal b Riaz 9
Ashish Nehra run out (Riaz) 1
Munaf Patel not out 0
Extras: (8lb, 8w, 2nb) 18
Total: (for nine wickets) 260
Overs: 50
Batting time: 231 minutes.
Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-116, 3-141, 4-141, 5-187, 6-205, 7-236, 8-256, 9-258.
Bowling: Umar Gul 8-0-69-0 (2nb, 1w); Abdul Razzaq 2-0-14-0; Wahab Riaz 10-0-46-5 (4w); Saeed Ajmal 10-0-44-2 (3w); Shahid Afridi 10-0-45-0; Mohammad Hafeez 10-0-34-1
PAKISTAN
Kamran Akmal c Yuvraj b Khan 19
Mohammad Hafeez c Dhoni b Patel 43
Asad Shafiq b Yuvraj 30
Younis Khan c Raina b Yuvraj 13
Misbah-ul-Haq c Kohli b Khan 56
Umar Akmal b Harbhajan 29
Abdul Razzaq b Patel 3
Shahid Afridi c Sehwag b Harbhajan 19
Wahab Riaz c Tendulkar b Nehra 8
Umar Gul lbw b Nehra 2
Saeed Ajmal not out 1
Extras: (8w) 8
Total: (all out) 231
Overs: 49.5. Batting time: 239 minutes
Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-70, 3-103, 4-106, 5-142, 6-150, 7-184, 8-199, 9-208, 10-231
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 9.5-0-58-2 (2w); Ashish Nehra 10-0-33-2 (1w); Munaf Patel 10-1-40-2 (1w); Harbhajan Singh 10-0-43-2; Yuvraj Singh 10-1-57-2
Toss: India
Result: India won by 29 runs
Umpires: Simon Taufel, Australia, and Ian Gould, England
TV umpire: Billy Bowden, New Zealand. Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka.