Pakistan aim to blunt Yuvraj

Yuvraj Singh has a strike rate of 235.08 in the World Twenty20 competition © Getty Images

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Yuvraj Singh looks set to dominate a major part of Pakistan’s discussion as they attempt to find a formula to beat arch-rivals India in Monday’s ICC World Twenty20 final.

India’s big-hitting all-rounder has lit up the inaugural tournament in South Africa over the last fortnight, becoming only the fourth man in history to hit six sixes in an over against England.

He also hit a stunning 70 off 30 balls to help India set up the all-Asia showdown at the Wanderers by overcoming Australia in Saturday night’s semi-final.

With form like that it is little wonder that Pakistan’s pre-match meeting will focus on Yuvraj and ways to stop him from having a similar influence on the final.

“We’ll have a meeting and decide where we’re going to bowl to him,” confirmed Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik.

“We must try and stop him because he’s playing superbly at the moment, but hopefully we’ll find some kind of plan which will work.

Yuvraj has hit the largest six so far in the tournament in South Africa © Getty Images

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“At the moment he’s playing brilliantly - I don’t think I’ve ever seen him play as well as he is now. He’s in very good form and we’ll sit and discuss how we’re going to stop him.”

Those displays of attacking strokeplay have included the biggest hit of the tournament so far - 119 metres as one of five sixes hit against Australia at Kingsmead.

In all he has 12 sixes in the event, one behind New Zealand’s Craig McMillan for the most sixes in the tournament, so it is little wonder that Pakistan are focusing the majority of their pre-match discussion on stopping Yuvraj.

Yuvraj’s prolific hitting has also enabled him to claim the highest batting strike-rate in the tournament - 235.08 runs per hundred balls - for players with 75 runs or more.

But Pakistan also have prolific hitters of their own like the captain and Younus Khan, both of whom are among the leading six-hitters during the tournament, and go into the final with confidence boosted by their emphatic semi-final win over New Zealand.

Victory in the final would also be a fitting way to mark their progression as a side since last summer’s World Cup, when their early exit from the tournament and the death of coach Bob Woolmer cast a dark shadow on their side.

For now, though, Pakistan are only focusing on the showdown with their biggest rivals with Shoaib adding: “We are professionals...the World Cup is history now and we’re only concentrating on tomorrow’s (Monday) game.”