India vs Pakistan 2011 Live Score World Cup Semi Final

25 overs India 140 for 2 (Tendulkar 60*, Kohli 9*) v Pakistan

It was difficult to imagine that this semi-final could live up to the extreme pre-match hype, but after 25 action-packed overs India and Pakistan were justifying the build-up. Virender Sehwag gave India a magnificent start before Sachin Tendulkar survived a series of close calls to reach his half-century, and by the halfway mark he was the key to India posting a hefty total on a good batting pitch.

Both teams reached the 25-over mark with potential regrets; Pakistan having dropped Tendulkar twice in a poor fielding performance, and India having chosen the seamer Ashish Nehra to replace R Ashwin. Judging by the turn found by Pakistan's slow men, it was a decision that MS Dhoni might come to lament later in the evening.

Tendulkar was on 60 with Virat Kohli on 9, and India had reached 140 for 2 at the halfway point of their innings, with 300-plus total well and truly on the cards. Pakistan had only themselves to blame for Tendulkar's good fortune, after Misbah-ul-Haq put him down at midwicket on 27 and Younis Khan spilled a regulation chance at cover when Tendulkar had 45.

Both chances came off the Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, who was understandably frustrated at the lapses. Tendulkar also survived two tight moments from consecutive balls when he was on 23, the first an lbw decision from the bowling of Saeed Ajmal that was originally given out by Ian Gould, but after Tendulkar asked for a review HawkEye showed the ball spinning just past the leg stump.

The next delivery, Pakistan were excited at what they felt was a certain stumping as Ajmal drifted the ball outside off and lured Tendulkar to reach for it, but despite lifting his back foot he had just touched his toe to the ground by the time Kamran Akmal took the bails off. The DRS, for so long the object of BCCI contempt, was suddenly India's best friend.

Among the lives, Tendulkar played some good shots, a square-driven boundary off Wahab Riaz especially impressive. He also made some uncharacteristically poor judgment calls, but as long as he was batting himself into touch, India didn't care.

There was no such good fortune for Gautam Gambhir, who was stumped off the bowling of Mohammad Hafeez for 27 when he advanced down the pitch. It was a poor effort from Gambhir, who has found ways to make runs in this tournament without ever looking at his best.

Sehwag certainly looked at his best early, taking 21 off Umar Gul from the third over of the innings. There were boundaries from a flick over midwicket, a clip through the same region, a cut from a slower ball, a nudge behind square leg and a cover-drive off a no-ball, and the most remarkable thing about the over was that Sehwag didn't also dispatch the free-hit.

The initial signs were worrying for Pakistan as Sehwag also drove Abdul Razzaq back over his head for a boundary but a change to the left-arm angle of Riaz brought his downfall. Sehwag had 38 from 25 deliveries when he was given lbw by Simon Taufel and immediately reviewed as the left-armer's approach indicated the ball may have pitched outside leg.

However, it was a wonderful decision by Taufel, the ball having pitched on leg and HawkEye confirmed it was going on to hit the stumps. But if India's distaste for the DRS was exacerbated by that incident, the Tendulkar reversal left was a sweeter experience.