For the last week, my daily routine on a non-match day has been to get up, attend various practice sessions and press conferences scheduled through the day and then come back to the hotel room to file stories, after which it’s too late to do anything

The Plays of the day of the Kitply Cup final between India and Pakistan

Salman Butt and Younis Khan inspired a downcast bunch to brave the odds and hand Pakistan their first multi-nation title for more than five years

Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the result could have been different had India kept a couple of wickets in hand

Match home for the Kitply Cup final between India and Pakistan in Mirpur

The methodical approach of Salman Khan and Younis Khan gave India no footholds from which they could climb back into the game

Ahead of what has suddenly turned into a critical final, for Pakistan at least, the pressure on Shoaib Malik and Geoff Lawson has been cranked up by the PCB even further

Pakistan have usually fared better than India in ODI finals between these traditional rivals but India are firm favourites going into Saturday's encounter

If the attitude of Geoff Lawson, the coach, on the eve of the final was any indication, Pakistan are charged up and ready to prove they can beat any team