Pakistan believe they will be crowned World Twenty20 champions after easing towards the semi-finals with a 39-run win over Ireland at the Oval on Monday. Pakistan were runners-up to bitter rivals India at the 2007 tournament, but insist they now have the right mixture of experience and youth to see them through. "All our boys are very focussed - they want to win this tournament," said captain Younus Khan.
"We have some good youngsters, the spinners did a great job and the fielding was very good. We would have liked to have made 170-180 today, but the bowlers did very well." Man of the match Kamram Akmal, who hit 57 in his team's 159-5, and pulled off two smart stumpings, is also confident of final victory.
"We are doing very well. We can be champions," said Akmal. "I like the Oval. It's always good for batting if you just play your natural game." Ireland captain William Porterfield, whose team lost all three of their Super Eights matches, believes they can learn from their experiences. "They put up a decent total and it was never easy to chase," he said. "We will take a lot out of this tournament. "We can do better especially with the bat. But we are playing top sides and things are looking up."
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