This match was settled in the first ten overs, as Pakistan's new-ball pair scythed through India's top order. The lofty Mohammad Irfan jarred bat handles with steep bounce and genuine pace, while Junaid Khan clean-bowled three of one-day cricket's most illustrious performers with a display of swing bowling that brought back memories of Wasim Akram in his pomp. The first five made just 18 runs between them, leaving Raina and Dhoni to conduct a sedate grind to respectability. Dhoni's first fifty took 86 balls, but from his next 39 he bludgeoned 63, limiting Ashwin's doughty contribution to a stand of 125 - India's best for the seventh wicket in one-day internationals - to 31.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar then bowled Hafeez, shouldering arms, with his first ball, and soon added Azhar Ali, as Pakistan made a hesitant start. Only Sadagoppan Ramesh, a batsman given a rare bowl against West Indies in Singapore in September 1999, had previously struck with his first ball in oneday internationals for India. Nasir Jamshed could have been run out when seven, should have been given out caught off bat and pad at 24, and was badly missed by Yuvraj Singh at point when 68 - lapses India were to rue as he continued through the innings. Younis Khan's sprightly 58 eased runrate worries, but it was Jamshed, batting with increasing confidence, who was the main man; he reached his second successive one-day century against India - following the Asia Cup in March - just before Shoaib Malik swatted Dinda for the winning boundary with 11 balls to spare.