Fans set the Bullring abuzz

The Wanderers is buzzing well before the start of play. With more than two hours for the game to begin, there is a crowd lining the street outside the stadium. They are the unlucky ones who don't yet have a ticket to the game - the match is officially sold out - obviously - but there is still the hope that an influential friend or a generous organiser can sneak a few in.

The more fortunate ones are already inside the stadium, or secure in the knowledge that they will be soon. The beer token counters are already seeing long queues, which isn't surprising considering it's a hot day. The flags, T-shirts, caps and various other items at the souvenir shops are all in huge demand, and people are willing to pay - the flags have already been marked up to R 120 [US$ 17], 20 more than the semi-final price.

Not that the people mind that, though. For an India-Pakistan match - and a final at that - it's a small price to pay. For Sadiq, an Indian originally from Gujarat but who is now based in Johannesburg, the final has been an exorbitant one: his wife and two children are also here, and he paid R 500 [US$ 72] for each ticket which should have cost R 160 [US$ 23]. He is one of many Indian supporters in a crowd which is dominated by the tri-colour, and by the end of the day, the money would have seemed very well spent.

The Pakistani supporters have an explanation for the skew: "We have at least around 2000 Pakistani supporters outside who couldn't get tickets," says one. Another attributes it to Ramadan, the month in which all Muslims are expected to fast through the day and have a meal only after sunset.

Those who are watching the game, though, are completely involved in the moment. As with any game between India and Pakistan, there is some needle between the supporters. There is a battle going on in the premium enclosures: a middle-aged Indian lady is so excited with Rohit Sharma's power hitting that she can't stop jumping madly, an act that doesn't go down well with the Pakistan supporters across the aisle. When an Indian wicket falls, the retort is immediate. During the innings break, though, both parties patch up, promising to treat this as only a game.

Whether they kept that promise through the enthralling second half isn't known, but down on the grassy embankments, the excitement is equally palpable. Most of the region is again dominated by the Indians, but a small but extremely vocal section of the Pakistani supporters are doing an excellent job of keeping the Indians at bay, especially when Imran Nazir is blasting Sreesanth to all parts.

It isn't as if the Wanderers is filled with Indians and Pakistanis, though. There are plenty of South Africans too, in a format of the game which makes it much easier to be a neutral fan ("There're plenty of fours and sixes, and lots of entertainment, so it doesn't matter if the home team isn't playing," is the common refrain).

Much of the neutral support today is for India, and a significant reason for that is that Yuvraj Singh's clean hitting in his last two matches. A 12-ball fifty against England - including that stunning six sixes in an over - and another blistering one against Australia speaks for itself. "The Indians are also a more friendly team," says Rob, a South African who is a regular cricket watcher at the Wanderers, and has met the Indian, Pakistani, and England teams over the last couple of years.

Twenty20, though, is much more than just the cricket, and even if it's India versus Pakistan in a final, there are always other elements to enjoy. For Jackie and Megan, grade 10 students and casual cricketers, the fun and the challenge was to keep the beat with the cheerleaders. So every time they came up on stage to celebrate a boundary or a wicket, up went the two of them as well, doing all the steps, and patting themselves on the back for a job well done. As they say, to each his own.