A classic encounter looms

After completing a superb comeback to take the recent Test series against India to a 1-1 draw - and then making a stunning resurgence from 2-0 down in the one-day series to take a 3-2 lead - Pakistan are truly on a roll now. If they win the final match at Delhi on Sunday, they will consign their hosts to a series defeat and can return home with their heads held very high indeed - but this sixth one-dayer will be against a very determined Indian side who will not have enjoyed their Kanpur mauling at the hands of Shahid Afridi. Victory for India will rescue a degree of pride and a drawn series - plus the halved Test series - would show how closely matched these sides have been. bet365's odds reflect this parity, as both sides have been offered at 5/6 to win the match.

bet365 odds
India: To win 6th ODI 5/6
Pakistan: To win 6th ODI 5/6

In a profitable series for batsmen, six different players have scored centuries, which shows the strength of each team's batting line-up. In the big games, however, certain players tend to come to the fore - and India will be looking to their inspirational openers, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, to lead their challenge. Unlike his colleague at the top of the order, Tendulkar has not been consistent this series, and apart from an exquisite century in the fourth match, he has disappointed with the bat. But few would bet against Tendulkar performing again in this final game, and as a result he is available as a 3/1 favourite on bet365 to be his side's top batsman. Given that his bowling has also captured the headlines this series - especially his 5 for 50 at Kochi - he is also a value bet to take the Man of the Match award.

Pakistan's batting strength has mainly been in the depth of their order: the fact that Younis Khan, fresh from over 500 runs in the recent Test series, has been coming in down at No. 6, 7 or even 8 shows that they have matchwinning batsmen all the way down. Most of the damage, however, has been done at the top, with Salman Butt to the fore. In scoring 232 runs at an average of 46.4 he has often been the steadier partner in an explosive opening combination - after all, who can match Afridi when he is on song? - but his consistency has served Pakistan well. He will believe once again that he can lead his team's batting performance, and bet365 are offering him at 9/2 to do just that - with only his ever-reliable skipper, Inzamam-ul-Haq, ahead of him in this market.

bet365 odds
Virender Sehwag: Top Team Batsman 10/3 | Man of the Match 15/2
Sachin Tendulkar: Top Team Batsman 3/1 | Man of the Match 13/2
Salman Butt: Top Team Batsman 9/2 | Man of the Match 14/1
Inzamam-ul-Haq: Top Team Batsman 4/1 | Man of the Match 8/1