Imran Khan Niazi won Pakistan the World Cup in 1992. Fifteen years later, Misbah-ul Haq Niazi came close to doing a similar feat in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. But, only close.

Boasting a young side that most observers wrote off even before the event began, Pakistan proved their doubters wrong to make it all the way to the final.

They began by beating Scotland by 51 runs and then tied with India after a fantastic display by Misbah-ul-Haq. The India match was resolved by a bowl-out with India emerging on top by a 3-0 margin. It was the first time that a bowl out was needed in the ICC World Twenty20 but both teams still went through to the Super Eights.

A 101-run partnership between Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik and some inspired bowling from Shahid Afridi proved to be the key to Pakistan’s first victory of the Super Eight stage, by 33 runs against Sri Lanka. Their winning streak continued as they defeated Australia by six wickets and Bangladesh by four wickets. With these victories, Pakistan confirmed a semi-final berth.

In the semi-final against New Zealand, captain Shoaib Malik stroked a fabulous six to take his team to victory in majestic style. Imran Nazir scored 59 runs from 41 balls and Mohammad Hafeez scored 32 from 21 chasing a total of 144. Umar Gul generated awkward bounce for the New Zealand batsmen, mixed it up with yorkers and slower deliveries and picked up the Man-of-the-Match award for his impeccable figures of 3 for 15 from four overs.

In the final against arch-rivals India, there was no time to chew finger-nails or even think of thumping hearts as India’s bowlers dug deep in their self-belief in successfully defending a low total of 157 for five with an emotional five-run victory at the magnificent Wanderers Cricket Stadium. Pakistani fans were in tears when Misbah-ul-Haq took the side so close to victory and could not seal the win to claim the trophy.

The Indians, restricted to 157-5 after electing to take first strike in good batting conditions, fought back to bowl out valiant Pakistan for 152 before a sell-out crowd of 32,000. Pakistan appeared out for the count when they were reduced to 104-7 after 16 overs, but Misbah-ul Haq gave the Indians a scare with a late charge of 43 off 38 balls.

Misbah and his tail-end partners took 19 runs in the 17th over bowled by spinner Harbhajan Singh, 13 in the 18th of Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and seven runs in the 19th from Rudra Pratap Singh, leaving 13 to get off the final over. Seamer Joginder Sharma bowled a wide off the first ball and was hammered for a six by Misbah with the second legitimate ball, but gave India victory with his next delivery as the batsman holed out to fine-leg. With this loss, Pakistan’s jinx of never having beaten India in a World Cup or world championship match continued.

Pakistan will be looking to break that sequence in England in 2009 but, most importantly, they will be hoping to go one better and claim their first global event title since Imran Khan lifted the World Cup in 1992.

Age 31 years
Batting Right-hand bat
Bowling Right-arm medium, Legbreak

Age 17 years
Batting Right-hand bat
Bowling Legbreak

Age 27 years 128 days
Batting Right-hand bat
Wicketkeeper

Age 31 years
Batting Right-hand bat
Bowling Right-arm offbreak

Newzealand (SQUAD)

Placed with minnows Kenya and minnow-bashers Sri Lanka in Group C of the 2007 event, New Zealand trounced Kenya by nine wickets as Mark Gillespie and Shane Bond ripped apart the Kenyan attack. Between them, they took six wickets.

However, the next match saw them lose to Sri Lanka by seven wickets after the Kiwi openers failed to provide any momentum.

They bounced straight back in the Super Eight stage, beating India by 10 runs in a close contest. The key contributions coming from Craig McMillan (44 runs from 23 balls) and Jacob Oram (35 from 15 balls) with the bat and skipper Daniel Vettori – who claimed four wickets, effected a run-out and took two catches – in the field.

Against England it looked like a defeat was on the cards until the experience of Bond and Vettori helped rein in the England batsmen and steer New Zealand to a five run victory.

Their final group game was a six wicket defeat to South Africa but by then their semi-final berth had been secured.
But as has so often been the case, they stumbled at the semi-final stage as Pakistan cruised to a six-wicket win after limiting the Kiwis to 143. Ross Taylor provided the only bright moment with 37 in 23 balls, otherwise it was an easy victory for Pakistan, which included a half century by Imran Nazir.

With Taylor developing all the time, Brendon McCullum renowned as one of the most destructive T20 batsmen and the guile of Vettori with the ball, New Zealand could be a contender in 2009.

Age 25 years
Batting Right-hand bat
Bowling Right-arm medium

Age 28 years
Playing role Bowler
Batting Left-hand bat
Bowling Left-arm fast-medium

Age 27 years
Playing role Wicketkeeper batsman
Batting Right-hand bat

Age 28 years
Batting Right-hand bat
Bowling Right-arm offbreak