Windies enter ICC final after Pakistan falter

At the tournament, while cricket has been largely uninspiring the results have been somewhat startling, writes Kadambari Murali. Scorecard

This is turning out to be the strangest of tournaments. And we're not talking about the complete lack of enthusiasm for what is in effect, a mini-World Cup. The cricket itself has been uninspiring for the most but the results have been somewhat startling.

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Look at how England walloped Australia in the first semi-final and how West Indies first took out South Africa and now, beat Pakistan to set up a final clash against the hosts on Saturday.

It's not something anyone could have predicted at the beginning of this tournament. The West Indies were more in the news for Brian Lara's strident public criticism of the way cricket was being handled in the Caribbean nations. He was scathing in his indictment of the state of West Indian cricket and admitted it was difficult to control the downward spiral.

And despite England's "Magnificent Seven" (their seven Test wins on the trot), their one-day form had been iffy - they didn't even qualify for the NatWest Trophy final - till India came to play the NatWest Challenge and gave the beleaguered England squad their form and confidence back.