Pakistan pace ace Umar Gul confident of dismissing Sachin and Sehwag cheaply

Pakistani pacer Umar Gul is oozing confidence going into the high-octane semi-final clash against India.

Pakistan's Umar Gul. Pic/AFP

The World Cup's second best Pakistani bowler with 14 wicketsu00a0 (skipper Shahid Afridi tops the bowling chart with 21 scalps) is confident of demolishing India's two batting pillars Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag when the two sides face-off at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium here on Wednesday.

"I am targeting Tendulkar and Sehwag. My plan is to get them out early. Only then, we can win easily. I am confident of getting them out cheaply," Gul told MiD DAY yesterday. India's star openers have scored more than 300 runs each in the World Cup so far and there are no signs of them showing any mercy on Wednesday.

Also, Tendulkar's knock of 98 in the 2003 World Cup at Centurion would still be haunting Pakistan.

But, the in-form Gul has been the key to Pakistan's progress to the last-four stage, especially with Shoaib Akhtar struggling for form and fitness. The 26-year-old has consistently provided the breakthroughs for Pakistan in the tournament (see box).

Gul has had reasonable success against India. In the 2003-04 historic Test series, his 5-31 that included the wickets of Sehwag, Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, left India in tatters in the second Test in Lahore.

Gul's brilliant performance helped Pakistan bounce back with a nine-wicket win after losing the first Test.