Tendulkar rides his luck but India hold their nerve to seal final berth

The jury was out, after Sachin Tendulkar (85) had ridden his luck against Wahab Riaz (five for 46) and others, on whether India's 260 for nine was a defendable total.

But, in a cauldron-like atmosphere, the tournament co-hosts closed the game out despite an all-too-late rally from Misbah-ul-Haq.

Pakistan briefly appeared on course to upset the odds when Mohammad Hafeez eased their run chase off to a promising start. But his opening partner Kamran Akmal flashed a square-drive at Zaheer Khan into the hands of Yuvraj Singh at point and then Hafeez himself spoiled his own good work with a poorly-conceived and executed shot which resulted in his caught-behind departure to Munaf Patel for 43.

Asad Shafiq was bowled middle-stump trying to cut Yuvraj, and Younus Khan holed out off the slow left-armer at cover.

Umar Akmal raised Pakistan hopes again, but, once Harbhajan Singh did him for pace with a flatter delivery from round the wicket, only something exceptional from big hitters Abdul Razzaq and Shahid Afridi could put the match back in the balance - and it did not happen.

Misbah almost ground to a halt at times in a mystifying 56 from 75 balls, and appeared to gamble all on a delayed powerplay. But by then, as the run rate rose alarmingly, others had fallen trying and failing to keep Pakistan in contention.

Riaz and Saeed Ajmal's bowling had earlier restricted India's powerhouse line-up. Tendulkar was dropped four times and still fell short of becoming the first man in cricket history to make 100 international hundreds.

But India were nonetheless indebted to him for ensuring an early blitz from his opening partner Virender Sehwag was not squandered on a good pitch.

Sehwag put Pakistan on the back foot almost from the outset, after India won the toss, taking advantage of the demanding field Afridi set for Umar Gul and hitting the seamer out of the new-ball attack. There were five fours in one over, and Sehwag hit nine in all from only 25 balls.

Afridi turned to Riaz, who gave him the breakthrough in his first over with a short-of-a-length delivery which pitched on leg-stump and straightened for an lbw verdict from Simon Taufel - confirmed by review.

Tendulkar's good fortune began on 23 with two marginal third-umpire rulings. First Ian Gould's lbw decision from an Ajmal off-break, was overturned.Then, from the very next delivery, Tendulkar over-balanced but had just regrounded his foot when Kamran Akmal took off the bails.

Tendulkar's three lives against Afridi's leg-spin came on 27, 45 and 68 - dropped at midwicket by Misbah, cover by Younus and then behind by Akmal.

As he clung on, though, others faltered. Gautam Gambhir went up the wicket and missed a Hafeez off-break to be easily stumped, and then Riaz returned to take two wickets in two balls with reverse swing. Virat Kohli got a leading edge to point, and Yuvraj was bowled first ball.

Tendulkar's luck finally ran out when he drove Ajmal low to Afridi at cover.

India captain MS Dhoni went leg before to Riaz and India were left with only one specialist batsman to exploit the powerplay.

In the circumstances, Suresh Raina cashed in acceptably as Gul's suffering continued and, although Riaz completed his maiden five-wicket haul, the runs on the board counted.