India v Pakistan semi-final - in pictures

Preamble Morning. There has been so much hype about this game that it's important we put it in perspective. It is, after all, only the biggest game in cricket history. The fact that the winners go through to a World Cup final is almost incidental. This is India v Pakistan. India v Pakistan. India v Pakistan. India v Pakistan. Photograph: NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images

Preamble There is an obvious concern that it will kick off, and at least one of the losing team will probably have their house stoned tonight, but hopefully the cricket will take precedence. Photograph: Gurinder Osan/AP

Preamble Everybody wants to win cricket matches, but it's hard to imagine that anybody has ever needed to win a match as much as these sides today. Photograph: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images

The mood of the day, captured in one email from Waqas Mir "Bloodyhellbloodyhellbloodyhell!" Photograph: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images

Preamble Those of us born and raised in Britain have not got a clue how big this game is. Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh head back to the pavilion for some 'cricket diplomacy' Photograph: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images

4th over: India 39-0 (Sehwag 30, Tendulkar 8) Early impressions are that this is a 300 pitch, and Sehwag's start means that Tendulkar can play his usual game – anchoring the innings at a strike rate of 100. He squirts Razzaq past point for three and then Sehwag smears a disdainful boundary down the ground. Utter contempt. He has raced to 30 from 17 balls, and when he gets off strike Tendulkar completes another expensive over with a classical extra-cover drive for four. Photograph: PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images

WICKET! India 48-1 (Sehwag LBW b Wahab Riaz 38) Silence in Mohali. Virender Sehwag has gone! Wahab Riaz replaced Abdul Razzaq and struck with his fifth ball. Photograph: VIVEK PRAKASH/REUTERS

REVIEW: India 75-1 (Tendulkar LBW b Ajmal 23) Astonishing stuff: Tendulkar has had an LBW decision overturned on review! The crowd are going mad. He pushed defensively at a curving, fizzing delivery from Ajmal that hit him around off and middle stump. It looked a great shout, and he was given out by Ian Gould, but after a bit of discussion with Gautam Gambhir he decided to risk India's final review. And it was a great decision, because replays showed the ball was spinning past leg stump. Amazing. Ian Gould shakes his head, and Tendulkar continues. Photograph: Gurinder Osan/AP

REVIEW: India 75-1 (Tendulkar st Akmal b Ajmal 23) This is incredible – Tendulkar has survived two reviews in two balls! Photograph: ADNAN ABIDI/REUTERS

WICKET! India 116-2 (Gambhir st K Akmal b Hafeez 27) Beautiful bowling from Mohammad Hafeez. He sensed that Gambhir was coming down the track, so he dragged the ball a touch shorter and it turned sharply past the outside edge for Kamran Akmal to complete the stumping. That's a big scalp for Pakistan, because Gambhir is India's best middle-overs nurdler. Photograph: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images

22nd over: India 130-2 (Tendulkar 56, Kohli 2) Tendulkar reaches his fifty ... There have been some gorgeous strokes, as there always are when Tendulkar bats, but he has had some serious fortune as well. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

WICKET! India 141-3 (Kohli c U Akmal b Riaz 9) This is an exceptional piece of bowling from Wahab Riaz. Kohli fiddled outside off at a good delivery that moved away just enough to take the edge on its way to backward point, where Umar Akmal took a routine catch. For a split second I thought it was Tendulkar. In fact it's Kohli, and now Yuvraj Singh is striding to the crease. What a match this is. Every time you think India are getting away, Pakistan reel them in again. Photograph: VIVEK PRAKASH/REUTERS

WICKET! India 141-4 (Yuvraj b Wahab 0) Yuvraj Singh has gone first ball! This is a storming delivery from Wahav Riaz, a reverse inswinging yorker that goes right through Yuvraj and smashes into the base of middle stump. Wahab sets off on a mini lap of honour. Shoaib who? Wahab Riaz is on fire! That is a mighty blow from Pakistan, because Yuvraj has probably been the man of the tournament. Photograph: MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images

WICKET! India 187-5 (Tendulkar c Afridi b Ajmal 85) Finally, finally Shahid Afridi gets his man – not with the ball, but with a sharp low catch at short extra cover when Tendulkar pings a drive off Saeed Ajmal. He just had to get Tendulkar, didn't he? Afridi whips off his cap and strikes the pose: arms skyward and legs spread as far as possible without endangering the fabric around his special place. He's a superstar. Photograph: VIVEK PRAKASH/REUTERS

Tendulkar's weird but vital innings comes to an end, and India are in a bit of trouble. Photograph: Aijaz Rahi/AP

WICKET! India 205-6 (Dhoni LBW b Riaz 25) What a day Wahab Riaz is having. That's his fourth wicket, and the vital one of the dangerous MS Dhoni. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

WICKET! India 256-8 (Zaheer Khan c K Akmal b Wahab 9) This is the greatest day of Wahab Riaz's life. He has picked up his fifth wicket, with Zaheer edging a huge heave to Kamran Akmal. Wahab gets to his knees to kiss the turf, and there are four balls remaining. Photograph: MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images

Where are you watching today's game? Tell us your stories, obviously the more interesting the better. An 'I'm at work in Farringdon eating cheese bread and filling in some forms' probably isn't that interesting. These guys are in Karachi's central jail. Photograph: Shakil Adil/AP

9th over: WICKET! Akmal c Yuvraj b Khan 19 (Pakistan 44-1) Khan returns with a wicket as Akmal slashes to Yuvraj at gully! That's 18 wickets for Khan in this tournament so far. At this stage, India were 63-1. Photograph: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images

12th over: Pakistan 59-1 (target 261; Hafeez 39, Shafiq 1) A poor delivery from Patel, short on leg stump, is touched fine for four by Hafeez. He is having quite a day, having bowled ten economical overs earlier. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

WICKET! Pakistan 70-2 (Hafeez c Dhoni b Patel 43) This is a wretched shot from Mohammad Hafeez. He tried a premeditated lap at a ball from Patel that was far too wide of off stump, and it shaved the edge on its way through to Dhoni. That's a shocking stroke! India celebrate wildly, and that has the feeling of a Big Moment. Photograph: Vivek Prakash/Reuters

17th over: Pakistan 77-2 (target 261; Shafiq 13, Younis 2) Shafiq gives Harbhajan the charge and crunches a bump ball back over Harbhajan's head for four. A boundary from the first ball puts such pressure on a bowler, but Bhaji pulls it round splendidly with just one additional single. Photograph: Vivek Prakash/Reuters

32nd over: Pakistan 141-4 (target 261; Misbah 8, U Akmal 28) Umar Akmal is playing a blinder. He gives Yuvraj the charge and smashes a monstrous straight six, right over the sightscreen, and with one hand coming off the bat! That is an astonishing shot. Photograph: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images

WICKET! Pakistan 142-5 (U Akmal b Harbhajan 29) Harbhajan Singh may well have won the match for India! He was brought back to keep the dangerous Umar Akmal quiet – but he did even better, dismissing him with his very first ball. It was a beauty, a quicker one from around the wicket that really skidded on to hit off stump. That is a sensational piece of bowling. Akmal never, ever saw it coming at all. Photograph: Hamish Blair/Getty Images

WICKET! Pakistan 184-7 (Afridi c Sehwag b Harbhajan 19) It's all over for Pakistan. Afridi clubs a full toss high into the off side, and Sehwag takes the catch on the edge of the circle. He was irritated by the previous delivery, which might well have been called wide by Ian Gould but wasn't, and that led to the first and last reckless stroke of the innings. He hit that ball like he wanted to kill it. As the commentators have just said, if he was going to play strokes like that they should have taken the Powerplay. Pakistan need a miracle now. Photograph: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images

WICKET! Pakistan 208-9 (Gul LBW b Nehra 2) India are one wicket away from the World Cup final. Umar Gul is trapped plumb in front by a low, swinging full toss from Nehra, and Simon Taufel raises the finger. Gul refers, out of desperation, but replays show that – yet again – Taufel has got the decision right and Gul is on his way. In fact, they should give the Man of the Match award to Simon Taufel. He has been incredible. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

49.2 overs: Pakistan 231-9 (need 30 from 4 balls; Misbah 56, Ajmal 1) A dot ball outside off stump, and India have done it! Photograph: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images

INDIA WIN BY 29 RUNS! Pakistan 231 (Misbah c Kohli b Zaheer 56) It's all over! Misbah mows Zaheer high in the air to long on, and India have deservedly won an unforgettable contest. They were wonderful in the field, defending an under-par total with huge skill and nerve under pressure. But Pakistan, who have entertained us royally in this tournament, will have plenty of regrets about this match. Shahid Afridi, who looked close to tears a moment ago, walks onto the field and looks each Indian player in the eye as he shakes their hand. The whole game was played in excellent spirit, and both sides deserve huge credit for that. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images