Ajmal claims career-best figures in a losing cause

Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistan offspinner, picked up five wickets in the third ODI against India at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi which the visitors lost by ten runs.

Ajmal, who was introduced into the attack in the 23rd over, kept India in check and gave away just two boundaries in his nine-over spell.

India's batsmen struggled to score freely on the pitch that had something in for the bowlers. The hosts were left reeling at 63 for 4 by the 16th over, with Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan doing most of the damage.

India's Captain MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina restored some order with a 48-run stand for the fifth wicket, with Dhoni, who eventually won the Man-of-the-Match award, hitting Mohammad Hafeez for consecutive sixes in the 28th over.

Ajmal, soon after, claimed two wickets off consecutive balls by trapping Raina and R Ashwin lbw.

He was later brought back into the attack in the 35th over after Umar Gul had dismissed Dhoni and he made short work of India's tail by first dismissing Bhuvneshwar Kumar followed by Ishant Sharma and finally Ravindra Jadeja, who made 27.

India's bowlers too matched their Pakistan counterparts with tight bowling and sharp fielding to dismiss them for 157 with seven balls to spare.

Pakistan's captain Misbah-ul-Haq said that the cold weather made all the difference and cost them the match. "We missed a huge opportunity for a clean sweep, especially after getting them out for a low total," Misbah said. "But credit goes to the Indian bowlers and fielders. They exploited the conditions better than us and saved at least 35 runs in the field which proved to be the main difference.

"Survival became difficult as the fog descended," he said. "The pitch, which looked like a batting track, changed its behaviour as the temperature dipped. I did not expect such moisture. So weather played a crucial role."

"It was very cold. We played under such conditions during our domestic T20 league back home and when we were preparing for the India series, but [we've not experienced them] in international matches on the subcontinent," he said. "It was very difficult to bat on. It will be difficult for India and England in the coming series to play under such cold conditions.

Ajmal's 5 for 24 is the fifth best performance by a Pakistan bowler against India. However, it is the second best by a Pakistan bowler in a defeat against India after Imran Khan's 6 for 14 in 1985.