Pakistan cricket team captain Younus Khan has confidently predicted victory for his resurgent team after they defeated favourites South Africa by seven runs in a nail-biting semi-final. All-rounder Shahid Afridi played a crucial role in the Pakistan’s victory by scoring 56 runs and taking 2-16 with his leg-spinners.

Jubliant Younus Khan said:

One more game and this World Cup is ours. In the big games we do well and now I think we will win this. We can take our chances and we can win the World Cup.

We are slow starters, we arrived late, didn’t have a lot of practice sessions so there was no pressure on us. Suddenly we are in a good position. Afridi is always a match-winner for us. Today he was batting three and he turned it on for Pakistan, it’s all about his commitment but also about our teamwork.

The maverick batsman Shahid said:

It was our last chance to make the final. If you are batting and bowling obviously it’s good. I am very happy to see my team in the final, that’s what I wanted and what I said to him (Younus) – to send me in either at number three or as an opener and he did. I really enjoyed my batting but also the bowling and fielding.

Pakistan successfully defended 149-4 to restrict the favoured Proteas to 142-5 before a jam packed Trent Bridge stadium. Pakistan, runners-up to India in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa two years ago, await the winners of Friday’s semi-final between Sri Lanka and the West Indies in Sunday’s final at Lord’s.