There are more positives than negatives to be drawn out of the competition for Team India.

1. Yuvraj Singh has emerged as the batsman with the best batting strike-rate in the tournament – 235.09. He is also second in the last of maximum sixes (12). He scored the fastest two half-centuries of the tournament (12 and 20 balls).
2. Openers Gautam Gambhir (2 half-centuries) and Virender Sehwag (S/R: 138) have been in good form.
3. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has found good form – having amassed 148 runs in the tournament at a healthy strike rate of 134.
4. Young guns Robin Uthappa and Rohit Sharma have chipped in at critical junctures.
5. Spirited young bowlers: RP Singh (9 wickets), Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh (7 wickets) and Sreesanth (5 wickets) have enhanced swiftly during the course of the event.
6. Credible victories over T20 practiced teams England, South Africa and Australia in the gap of four nights.
7. Have emerged as an admirable fielding unit in the tournament – some stunning run-outs and catches throughout.

Above all, it is the skirmishing spirit that been inflicted by Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on youngsters that is directly reflecting on the performances. He has inflicted the ‘fun factor’ in the approach in which the team exchange blows.

The path to the final has been a jubilant one for Team India.

Semi Final Two - India defeat Australia by 15 runs
Fans at the Kingsmead in Durban by stood the highs and lows of Twenty20 cricket in a nerve-racking encounter. From India piling on 128 runs in their last 10 overs to Australia faltering under stress. The ODI world champions needed just above 50 runs in their last five overs - but were pegged back by some fantastic bowling from Harbhajan Singh, RP Singh and Joginder Sharma.

Fittingly, the star of the Indian innings Yuvraj Singh took the catch to dismiss Michael Hussey in the very last over. The stylish left-handed batsman had bludgeoned the Aussie bowlers to all corners of the ground, scoring 70 runs from 30 balls to guide his team to an imposing total of 188. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (36) and Robin Uthappa (34) supported him competently.

The pressure was on RP Singh who bowled a tremendous 19th over conceding only 5 runs. Brad Haddin and Michael Hussey needed to score 22 runs off the very last over. Australia were dependent on 'Mr. Cricket' to get them home but it was all too much for them in the end.

A tremendous partnership of 66 runs between Matthew Hayden (62) and Andrew Symonds (43) got Australia on course during the daunting run-chase of 189 runs. The duo combined for six massive sixes entertaining a packed house.

Harbhajan Singh bowled a tremendous 18th over to get rid of the dangerous Michael Clarke. The 'turbanator' pitched the ball up and made life difficult for the insistent Aussie batsmen. He conceded only three runs in the over and Sreesanth was the pick of the bowlers for India - ending with figures of 2/12 from his four over spell.

The outcome - India and Pakistan emerged victorious and set up a dream final.

Super Eight - Group E - India defeat South Africa by 37 runs
South Africa needed 17 runs in the last over to reach 126 - the total they needed to ensure a berth in the semi-final. Harbhajan Singh bowled a splendid last over to ensure South Africa were eliminated. The atmosphere was stimulating – The Indian contingency in the crowds were easily on par with the South African.

Young batsman Rohit Sharma was declared man-of-the-match for his match-winning innings of 50 not out. He followed it up with a stunning run-out to get rid of the dangerous Justin Kemp. An inspired bowling performance by RP Singh (4/13) led India to one of it’s most famous victories in recent times.

Sreesanth (2/23), Harbhajan Singh (2/30) were the other star bowlers. In conditions conducive to swing bowling, Indian bowlers RP Singh, Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan left South Africa in dire straits at 35/5 at the end of six overs.

The South African top-order was rocked in the second over – RP Singh dismissing Herschelle Gibbs LBW and Graeme Smith caught at first slip by Dinesh Karthik - a stunning catch taken by the young wicket-keeper batsman to his left.

Super Eight - Group E - India defeat England by 18 runs
After electing to bat, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s justification was ‘don’t want to put pressure on batsmen while chasing’. The loss against New Zealand had rubbed off on the thought process – India preferred to set the target in crunch ties.

Sehwag and Gambhir set the perfect platform for the middle-order batsmen to follow with an opening partnership of 136 – both openers scoring half-centuries. Yuvraj Singh came out to bat and played couldn’t put a foot wrong.

In an exhibition of raw power assorted with sheer class, the stylish left-handed batsman hit six consecutive sixes and took the English bowlers, the fans, commentators, and his teammates by storm. India set a daunting target of 219 for England to chase down.

The English put up a spirited reply – eventually falling short by just 18 runs. Maddy, Pietersen, Collingwood and Shah gave it all they had but it was a bit too much to achieve by the end of it all.

India won the crucial tie at Durban and stayed afloat in the tournament – securing one last shot at reaching the semi-final.

Super Eight - Group E - New Zealand defeat India by 10 runs
In what was one of the closest contest of the tournament, New Zealand posted a solid total of 190 – courtesy of a late flourish from Craig McMillan (44 runs from 23 balls) and Jacob Oram (35 from 15 balls). Indian openers Sehwag and Gambhir provided a great start to the run chase, compiling as much as 76 runs from just 5.5 overs.

A spirited performance by Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori – who claimed four wickets, effected a run-out and two catches was the star of the show. India lost heaps of wickets and stumbled to 180/9 at the end of twenty overs – falling short by 10 runs.

New Zealand move one step closer to booking a berth in the semi-final by attaining two valuable points.

Group D - India versus Pakistan – Match Tied (India wins bowl out 3-0)
Mohammad Asif tore into the Indian top order, leaving the latter in totters at 36/4 at one stage. Sturdy performances by Uthappa, Dhoni and a late order flourish ensured that India set a reasonable target of 142 for their arch rivals.

The electrifying evening had only one winner – the game itself. The returning Irfan Pathan bowled a splendid spell and kept his team in the game through out. Rapturous scenes at Kingsmead, Durban – India and Pakistan featured in only the second tie in Twenty20 history. The rule of the format says that ‘there must be a winner’!

Hence, there was a bowl-out to decide the same and it was India who emerged victorious with a 3-0 margin.

Group D - India versus Scotland – Match abandoned
India’s first match in the ICC World Twenty20 against Scotland was halted by heavy showers. The outcome – India and Scotland got one point each and Pakistan were through to the Super 8s stage.

There are more positives than negatives to be drawn out of the competition for Team India.

1. Yuvraj Singh has emerged as the batsman with the best batting strike-rate in the tournament – 235.09. He is also second in the last of maximum sixes (12). He scored the fastest two half-centuries of the tournament (12 and 20 balls).
2. Openers Gautam Gambhir (2 half-centuries) and Virender Sehwag (S/R: 138) have been in good form.
3. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has found good form – having amassed 148 runs in the tournament at a healthy strike rate of 134.
4. Young guns Robin Uthappa and Rohit Sharma have chipped in at critical junctures.
5. Spirited young bowlers: RP Singh (9 wickets), Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh (7 wickets) and Sreesanth (5 wickets) have enhanced swiftly during the course of the event.
6. Credible victories over T20 practiced teams England, South Africa and Australia in the gap of four nights.
7. Have emerged as an admirable fielding unit in the tournament – some stunning run-outs and catches throughout.

Above all, it is the skirmishing spirit that been inflicted by Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on youngsters that is directly reflecting on the performances. He has inflicted the ‘fun factor’ in the approach in which the team exchange blows.

The path to the final has been a jubilant one for Team India.

Semi Final Two - India defeat Australia by 15 runs
Fans at the Kingsmead in Durban by stood the highs and lows of Twenty20 cricket in a nerve-racking encounter. From India piling on 128 runs in their last 10 overs to Australia faltering under stress. The ODI world champions needed just above 50 runs in their last five overs - but were pegged back by some fantastic bowling from Harbhajan Singh, RP Singh and Joginder Sharma.

Fittingly, the star of the Indian innings Yuvraj Singh took the catch to dismiss Michael Hussey in the very last over. The stylish left-handed batsman had bludgeoned the Aussie bowlers to all corners of the ground, scoring 70 runs from 30 balls to guide his team to an imposing total of 188. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (36) and Robin Uthappa (34) supported him competently.

The pressure was on RP Singh who bowled a tremendous 19th over conceding only 5 runs. Brad Haddin and Michael Hussey needed to score 22 runs off the very last over. Australia were dependent on 'Mr. Cricket' to get them home but it was all too much for them in the end.

A tremendous partnership of 66 runs between Matthew Hayden (62) and Andrew Symonds (43) got Australia on course during the daunting run-chase of 189 runs. The duo combined for six massive sixes entertaining a packed house.

Harbhajan Singh bowled a tremendous 18th over to get rid of the dangerous Michael Clarke. The 'turbanator' pitched the ball up and made life difficult for the insistent Aussie batsmen. He conceded only three runs in the over and Sreesanth was the pick of the bowlers for India - ending with figures of 2/12 from his four over spell.

The outcome - India and Pakistan emerged victorious and set up a dream final.

Super Eight - Group E - India defeat South Africa by 37 runs
South Africa needed 17 runs in the last over to reach 126 - the total they needed to ensure a berth in the semi-final. Harbhajan Singh bowled a splendid last over to ensure South Africa were eliminated. The atmosphere was stimulating – The Indian contingency in the crowds were easily on par with the South African.

Young batsman Rohit Sharma was declared man-of-the-match for his match-winning innings of 50 not out. He followed it up with a stunning run-out to get rid of the dangerous Justin Kemp. An inspired bowling performance by RP Singh (4/13) led India to one of it’s most famous victories in recent times.

Sreesanth (2/23), Harbhajan Singh (2/30) were the other star bowlers. In conditions conducive to swing bowling, Indian bowlers RP Singh, Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan left South Africa in dire straits at 35/5 at the end of six overs.

The South African top-order was rocked in the second over – RP Singh dismissing Herschelle Gibbs LBW and Graeme Smith caught at first slip by Dinesh Karthik - a stunning catch taken by the young wicket-keeper batsman to his left.

Super Eight - Group E - India defeat England by 18 runs
After electing to bat, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s justification was ‘don’t want to put pressure on batsmen while chasing’. The loss against New Zealand had rubbed off on the thought process – India preferred to set the target in crunch ties.

Sehwag and Gambhir set the perfect platform for the middle-order batsmen to follow with an opening partnership of 136 – both openers scoring half-centuries. Yuvraj Singh came out to bat and played couldn’t put a foot wrong.

In an exhibition of raw power assorted with sheer class, the stylish left-handed batsman hit six consecutive sixes and took the English bowlers, the fans, commentators, and his teammates by storm. India set a daunting target of 219 for England to chase down.

The English put up a spirited reply – eventually falling short by just 18 runs. Maddy, Pietersen, Collingwood and Shah gave it all they had but it was a bit too much to achieve by the end of it all.

India won the crucial tie at Durban and stayed afloat in the tournament – securing one last shot at reaching the semi-final.

Super Eight - Group E - New Zealand defeat India by 10 runs
In what was one of the closest contest of the tournament, New Zealand posted a solid total of 190 – courtesy of a late flourish from Craig McMillan (44 runs from 23 balls) and Jacob Oram (35 from 15 balls). Indian openers Sehwag and Gambhir provided a great start to the run chase, compiling as much as 76 runs from just 5.5 overs.

A spirited performance by Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori – who claimed four wickets, effected a run-out and two catches was the star of the show. India lost heaps of wickets and stumbled to 180/9 at the end of twenty overs – falling short by 10 runs.

New Zealand move one step closer to booking a berth in the semi-final by attaining two valuable points.

Group D - India versus Pakistan – Match Tied (India wins bowl out 3-0)
Mohammad Asif tore into the Indian top order, leaving the latter in totters at 36/4 at one stage. Sturdy performances by Uthappa, Dhoni and a late order flourish ensured that India set a reasonable target of 142 for their arch rivals.

The electrifying evening had only one winner – the game itself. The returning Irfan Pathan bowled a splendid spell and kept his team in the game through out. Rapturous scenes at Kingsmead, Durban – India and Pakistan featured in only the second tie in Twenty20 history. The rule of the format says that ‘there must be a winner’!

Hence, there was a bowl-out to decide the same and it was India who emerged victorious with a 3-0 margin.

Group D - India versus Scotland – Match abandoned
India’s first match in the ICC World Twenty20 against Scotland was halted by heavy showers. The outcome – India and Scotland got one point each and Pakistan were through to the Super 8s stage.