We will remember this game all our lives: a needle contest where fate hung by the narrowest of threads. In the ultimate analysis, Pakistan’s fine bowling could not compensate for its abysmal catching skills. India’s batting was below its best but MS Dhoni’s men showed admirable fighting qualities whenever the chips were down. Team India deserved to win this game; Pakistan didn’t. Hard luck, my friends!

Some observations from the game, and a few questions too:

1. No team that drops Sachin Tendulkar three times, or was it four, deserves to win a crunch knock-out game. If Shahid Afridi and company had taken their catches, they would have restricted India to 220 or less. But they appeared keen that Tendulkar got his 100th ton against them. The Mumbai batting maestro didn’t oblige though. May be, he is just looking for a bigger stage.

2. We handled the crunch moments much better. We could have collapsed to 220 all out. But two crucial lower order partnerships involving Raina/Harbhajan and Raina/Khan took us to 260. Team India showed class and poise when the chips were down. Pakistan didn’t.

3. When Pakistan got off to a good start, Dhoni’s men didn’t panic. As I have said before, this is where they are different from our previous teams. Dhoni has his flaws but he is always projects a high degree of calm. That rubs off on the rest of the side.

4. Virender Sehwag produced the most electrifying over of the match. At the moment he is batting like an item girl who sizzles for a few minutes and disappears thereafter. Has the Najafgarh Nawab forgotten his job is to score centuries, or at least half centuries?

5. Opting to play for Ashish Nehra was a bold gamble that paid off. Dhoni would be mighty pleased with his selection. But I still don’t see the logic of dropping R Ashwin who had bowled so well. Let us not forget that the Pak spinners were equally hard to get away.

6. Harbhajan’s dismissal of Umar Akmal was the turning point of the match. The young Pakistani was threatening to take the game away when the Turbanator struck. His Afridi dismissal was again crucial. The Punjab offie couldn’t have found a better moment to get wickets.

7. Is Misbah ul Haq the king of lost causes? Why does he always start taking charge when it is too late?

8. Umar Akmal is the most exciting and complete batsman of his generation. May be he needs to be a little more choosy about his shot selection. That’s all.

9. Do you think Wahab Riaz is a more controlled, less pacy version of Australia’s Mitchell Johnson?

10. Finally, the question everybody would be asking tomorrow: can we beat Sri Lanka in the final? Yes, we can. The Lankans will be tougher to beat than the Pakistanis. They are perhaps the most balanced outfit in the championship. They are also a better fielding unit than us. We need to be at our best against them. Only then the Cup of joy will be ours.