Rahul Dravid cracked a defiant 76 not out as India fought back from the brink to defeat Pakistan by five wickets on Sunday and level the five-match series 2-2.
The tourists, chasing Pakistan’s seemingly unbeatable 293-9 under lights at the Gaddafi stadium, overcame the loss of four top batsmen by the 13th over to surpass the target with five overs to spare.
Dravid, showing no signs of nerves in the make-or-break game, put on 68 in 66 balls for the fifth wicket with Yuvraj Singh (36) and an unbroken 132 for the sixth with Mohammad Kaif, who returned unbeaten on 71.
The decisive fifth match will be played at the same venue on Wednesday. The remarkable win overshadowed Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq’s second century in four matches in front of a capacity crowd of 25 000 that included some 4 500 Indians fans.
Inzamam, who made 122 in the first game at Karachi last week, plundered 123 off 121 balls after he won his fourth consecutive toss and elected to take first strike.
The Pakistan skipper hit nine boundaries and four sixes in his 10th one-day hundred, adding 105 for the fourth wicket with Younis Khan and 70 off 46 balls for the fifth with Abdul Razzaq.
Razzaq pounded an aggressive 32 off 24 balls as Pakistan smashed 95 from the last 10 overs. The Indians made a desperate chase, reaching 100 by the 15th over.
But the scintillating start cost them four wickets, including the vital one of master batsman Sachin Tendulkar.
Tendulkar, who put on 34 in the first four overs with Virender Sehwag, was the first to go, edging express bowler Shoaib Akhtar to wicket-keeper Moin Khan for seven.
Akhtar then clean bowled Venkatsai Laxman for 20 and Sehwag, who made a quickfire 26 with five boundaries, was snapped up in the slips off Mohammad Sami.
When skipper Sourav Ganguly edged Razzaq to Moin after making 21, the Indians were gasping for survival at 94-4 in 13 overs.
As Dravid held one end, Yuvraj launched into the Pakistani attack and carried the total to 162-4 when he pulled Sami to Yousuf Youhana at mid-wicket.
Kaif continued from where Yuvraj left off and helped Dravid seal a famous victory for India. It was Pakistan’s first loss at the Gaddafi stadium in the last eight matches since 2000.
Earlier, India began well when left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan dismissed opener Shahid Afridi and the experienced Youhana cheaply to reduce Pakistan to 39-2.
Yasir Hameed, fresh from his 98 in the previous match at Peshawar on Friday, helped Inzamam add 50 for the third wicket before a lapse in concentration caused his dismissal.
Hameed made 45 with the help of five boundaries when he charged down the wicket to left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, missed the line and was stumped by Dravid.
Inzamam, however, cruised along merrily at the other end. He hit a six and two fours in the 33rd over bowled by Yuvraj and then welcomed Laxmipathy Balaji’s second spell by lofting the first delivery over the long-on ropes.
Younis Khan made 36 in the century stand with his captain when he swept Kartik down Pathan’s throat at deep square-leg to make Pakistan 194-4 in 39 overs.
Inzamam fell in the 46th when he was bowled by Balaji while trying to pull from outside the off-stump. – Sapa-AFP