Iain Fletcher: Artistry and audacity earn Sri Lanka and Pakistan the spoils

ONLY THE stoniest of hearts would begrudge Pakistan and Sri Lanka their places in the ICC World Twenty20 final today at Lord's. Both countries have just suffered or are still effectively suffering civil war and are on the cusp of being shunned by world cricket, at least as venues, for many years.

And yet they have produced cricket of such magical and sublime talent at times in this tournament that to consider a world game without them is like dining on a meal without flavour. They enchant and exasperate in equal measure. Cricket supporters should celebrate their resilience in winning through and just hope that Pakistan prove better in a world final at Lord's than they did in 1999 at the World Cup when they barely registered in conceding the trophy to the Australians.

Remember those Aussie fellows? They used to conquer all before them but since the arrival of Twenty20 they have been as impotent as, well, England. In two World Twenty20 events, all finalists have been Asian. Only South Africa looked likely to challenge this hegemony but they suffered yet another self- induced implosion in the semi-final. While Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs stuttered, Shahid Afridi, Umer Gul and Kamran Akmal soared. Smith looked on helplessly as Pakistan captain Younus Khan berated, castigated and cajoled his team to greater efforts.

Does the game suit their more openly passionate, almost volatile, personalities or have they just understood and mastered the intricacies better?

The suspicion is neither are any better than South Africa. Pakistan performed in the semi, South Africa didn't.

So to today. Can Afridi produce another man-of-the match performance with both bat and ball or will Tillakaratne Dilshan dazzle us with the most extraordinary array of paddle sweeps, chips, cuts, glances, glides and the utterly amazing spoon shot over his head?

The hope is both happen because then the spectacle will be truly memorable.

However, this past three weeks has been astonishing for me for the incredible quality of the bowling and both finalists have splendid examples of this.

Watch Umer Gul, the tall, rangy seamer for Pakistan. Once he has zeroed in on his intended yorker spot nothing can make him lose control. To bowl three good yorkers in an over is considered bowling of high class but Gul has managed many overs in this tournament where five if not all six deliveries have been perfect, almost "impossible to hit" yorkers.

Sri Lanka have a different weapon in Lasith Malinga. The slingy, swinging full tosses keep confusing batsmen and knocking back the stumps but also watch the differing spinners on show. Sri Lanka have the old Merlin, Muttiah Muralitharan, and his apprentice wizard Ajantha Mendis. Their eight overs could rip the guts from the Pakistan batting unless the old long handle of Afridi works well. A couple in the stands and suddenly the pressure will be back on the bowlers. What a delicious prospect.

But the same could happen to Afridi and his fast leg-spin. He barely turns the ball and relies on it hurrying on to the batsman. He bowls very straight and his quicker one is around 80 miles per hour. But a deft cut past the close third man fielder – a Dilshan speciality – and the ball will race to the ropes. Again, an unmissable contest and that is why this is the best possible final. It is packed with intriguing personal battles.

Indeed it matters little which side wins. Cricket has produced hope for the beleaguered people of the two nations and delivered all that sport should be, a thrilling contest infused with joy.

Now if the ICC would only see sense and restructure the global calendar, the game of cricket would develop handsomely. This tournament has confirmed and built upon the success of the first in 2007 and rendered the normal 50-over World Cup and the Champions Trophy pointless. Scrap them both now and commit to a sensible schedule. The IPL needs a proper window when all players around the world are available. The global events should be a Test championship spread over two or four years and the Twenty20 every two years and proper Test series should be insisted upon. No more swift jaunts with a couple of Test matches but proper four-match events. A Test series needs time to develop a rhythm and fans need longer series to enjoy the opposing players.

The ICC should not lose financially as the IPL organisers – Lalit Modi predominantly – should accept they must contribute to the ICC coffers in exchange for a permanent slot in the ICC and world schedule. It would be a symbiotic relationship for all involved.

The lesser nations would then be given their own associate championships that mirror that of the major nations.

All that is for another day and discussion, though. The here and now is an exhilarating denouement of a superb tournament. England, largely thanks to the mostly good weather, has delivered a wonderful event. Three weeks, few grounds, sensible prices and great cricket are what the public want. They have supported superbly, boisterous yet well behaved, and with the Ashes to come in the second half of the summer, cricket in England, Scotland and Ireland should be enjoying a boom time. Or in Twenty20 speak, a boom-boom time.