On this day in 2011 : India beat Pakistan in the semi-finals of the world cup

The first fixture any India or Pakistan cricket fan would look for when the schedule for a world cup comes out is when the two play each other. It is a day when the roads seem eerily empty as if there was a sudden lockdown announced for a day even though there isn’t a global crisis ruining anyone’s plans. It is a day when the advertisers have to pay over the top to for the ad slots and the broadcasters make merry. It is a day when decades-old superstitions are pulled out of the drawer in hope that it somehow it would affect the result of the game. It is a day when players of either side have a little extra in their tank. It is the one fixture that players from either team would not want to lose. Add to all that, there was a place in the world cup finals at stake in 2011, the PCA stadium in Mohali was set to witness a monumental showdown.

The tension was so palpable that one could cut it with a knife as Sehwag and Tendulkar walked out to open for India. But, Sehwag being Sehwag whacked Umar Gul through the covers in typical fashion. But the pressure was starting to build as India played out 7 dot balls off the next 9 balls. Sehwag began to get fidgety. He had Umar Gul in his sights. The third over in a sense set the tone for the rest of the innings, as the Nawab of Najafgarh annihilated one of Pakistan’s frontline seamers for 21 runs in the over. India were on their way.

The quick-scoring continued till the fifth over of the innings, with Abdul Razzaq enduring a similar treatment. The dynamic Indian opening duo had put on 47 in five overs, bringing back memories of Centurion 2003. But, the introduction of Wahab Riaz brought Pakistan back into the game. Riaz first dismissed Virender Sehwag who was racing along like a train, and two more tight overs meant, Pakistan had clawed their way back. 

Sachin Tendulkar rode his luck on his way to a patient 85 off 115 balls

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Pakistan spinners in Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi tightened the screws after the first ten overs as India looked to rebuild with Tendulkar and Gambhir. Sachin Tendulkar was riding his luck as he survived a couple of close calls off consecutive deliveries against Ajmal, but he kept going. Gambhir’s knock was cut short by Hafeez, but India had Virat Kohli yet to bat followed by the in-form Yuvraj Singh. But not all went to plan. While Sachin was walking on thin ice, Kohli was caught at point off Wahab Riaz. Out strode the local hero, Yuvraj Singh. A steaming yorker aimed at the base of Yuvraj’s leg stump by a pumped-up Wahab Riaz crashed into the poles. India had lost two key wickets in as many balls. Silence ensued.

The innings from then on struggled to gain any momentum, with Sachin Tendulkar being dismissed for a scratchy 85 off 115. Dhoni soon followed with the score on 205, just as India were looking to launch in the death overs. However, Suresh Raina like in the previous game came to India’s rescue. India took 14 off Umar Gul’s over, the 46th of the innings, as Raina kept the scoreboard ticking with a vital 36. India finished on 260/9 in their 50 overs. A score Pakistan would certainly take halfway through the innings.

Pakistan started off the innings more cautiously than India, but they were trudging along quite well. They seemed well in the game at 103/2 in the 24th over. Yuvraj Singh who had been dismissed off the very first ball, however, sprang into action. First, he dismissed Asad Shafiq who was settling in quite well, before he misjudged the length and saw his stumps disturbed. In his next over, he removed the experienced Younis Khan as Raina took a simple catch in the covers off a leading edge. India had inched ahead.

Pakistan had not given up hope just yet. Umar Akmal and Misbah began to rebuild. Akmal smashed a couple of huge sixers straight down the ground off Yuvraj and the nervousness started to grow among the Indian supporters. Dhoni recognized the moment. It is almost as if Dhoni had a time machine in which he could peek into the future, travel back to the present and know exactly what to do. He tossed the ball to Harbhajan Singh, and the turbanator delivered. A quick offie beat the inside edge of Umar Akmal and one half of the dangerous-looking partnership had been rid.

Pakistan never managed to get back into the game thereafter, despite Misbah’s resilience. Abdul Razzaq was first dismissed by Munaf Patel. High hopes rested on Shahid Afridi, but all he could manage was to top-edge a full toss by Harbhajan Singh. The game was nearly won. A clinical display with the ball meant India had beaten their arch-rivals by 29 runs. India had sealed a spot in the finals of the 2011 cricket world cup. The country had descended into euphoria. India had won their fifth game against Pakistan in 50-over version of the world cups while Pakistan's wait continued.