With the today's win India lead by 1-0 in the mandatory three-match finals. The remaining two finals will be held on Friday and Sunday. Thick fog delayed the fourth consecutive match of the tourney - the first final today - by about 50 minutes, forcing the match to be reduced to 46 over-a-side.
When Pakistan's skipper Rashid Latif won the toss in the morning and decided to bat first, the Dhaka cricket fans expected he Pakistani batsmen, specially Saeed Anwar, to flay the India bowlers. But things turned out the other way as the Indian bowlers were in no mood to compromise from the very beginning. They restricted the Pakistani world class batsmen to book the side for a moderate 212 for 8 in curtailed 46 overs.
In reply, the Indian batsmen, particularly Sachin Tendulkar, did not give a damn to the Pakistani pace and spin bowlers and reached their target of 213 runs for the loss of only two wickets in 37.1 overs. The opening pair of Tendulkar (95) and Sauray Ganguly (68) scored 159 runs in 25 overs to give the Indian innings a strong foundation. India's captain, Mohammad Azharuddin, who remained unbeaten with 30 runs scored the math-winner taking two runs off a Manzoor Akhter delivery, with 53 balls to spare.
However, the local fans seemed very much disappointed with Sachin's dismissal at 95 as they thought the little master fully deserved his 13th century in one of the brilliant knocks seen at the Dhaka Stadium. Tendulkar also proved his worth in bowling, earlier taking three Pakistani wickets for 45 runs in seven overs. This left no option for match adjudicator Asaduzzaman Misha but to declare him ``man of the match'' to receive 2500 US dollars as prize money.
The day's match gave multiple delight to the celebrated Indian batsman. In the match, Sachin entered the 6000 runs family in the one-day cricket playing a ball off Pakistani leg spinner mushtaq Ahmed in the 12th over when his individual score was 45.
Sachin is the lone player in the Independence Cup Cricket, who showed his batting talent consistently scoring half-century in all the three matches.
Opener Sauray Ganguly contributed a useful 68 runs in 87 balls with eight hits across the rope. he punished pacer Azhar Mahmood to plunder 13 runs in the 8th over with three boundaries. Vice-captain Ajay Jadeja, who came to bat at number four, hit an unconquered 30 runs off 38 deliveries that featured two fours.
Leg spinner Shahid Afridi took the valuable wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in his 7th over. He bowled nine overs and conceded 49 runs. Leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed claimed the lone wicket of Ganguly giving away 48 runs, also in nine overs.