With this well-deserved victory, Pakistan levelled the three-match finals 1-1 to inject new vitality into the Independence Cup. The last match on Sunday will decide which of the arch-rivals win the trophy.
After winning the toss, Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin decided to bat first in fair weather, but the decision proved fatal as India were skittled out for a poor 189 runs in 49.5 overs, the highest overs played in the ongoing tourney.
Pakistani left-arm spinner Muhammad Hussain, playing his first match in the tournament replacing leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, was the man who inflicted the major blow on India. He took four wickets for 33 runs in 10 overs with four maidens.
Hussain sent back four Indian top-order batsmen - Saurav Ganguly (26), captain Mohammad Azharuddin (66), Navjot Singh Sidhu (34) and Robin Singh (5) - and was adjudged Man-of-the-Match unanimously by the tournament committee to take 2,500 US dollars.
He was also declared MVP (most valuable player) of the day's final by WorldTel, to be richer by 2,500 US dollars.
Navjot Singh Sidhu was adjudged best fielder of the match for a brilliant catch in the third slip. He caught Inzamamul Haq during the dying moment when Pakistan score was 189 for 4, just one run away from victory.
Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq took care of the Indian tailenders claiming three wickets for 36 runs in 9.5 overs while medium pacer Aaqib Javed took two for 49 runs in 10 overs.
But it was the rookie bowler Azhar Mahmood who dealt a deadly blow to India. He dismissed the tournament's most prolific scorer Sachin Tendulkar (one run off 6 balls) to the dismay of nearly 45,000 strong holiday crowd who packed the stadium.
Tendulkar, who flayed the Pakistani bowlers in the previous two matches with blistering knocks of 67 and 95 runs, was bowled when an incoming delivery of Azhar Mahmood took the inside edge of his bat. After the departure of Tendulkar leaving the team total on 5 runs in 1.3 overs, Indian captain Azharuddin pairing with Saurav Ganguly in the second wicket stand contributed 77 runs. But the runs came a bit slow - from 103 balls - without being able to take any advantage from the fielding restriction.
Ganguly made 26 off 43 balls with two fours before he was caught and bowled by Muhammad Hussain while Azharuddin hammered the day's highest 66 runs ioff 88 deliveries that featured six hits across the rope. Azhar's 47th half century from 60 balls came with a single off a Hussain delivery. Later, he fell to a Hussain ball, caught by Aaqib Javed. Vice-captain Ajay Jadeja made a patient 34 runs off 66 balls with one boundary before he was caught and bowled by Aaqib javed in 44.3 overs leaving India on 167 for 7.
The remaining Indian batsmen could do nothing to raise the run rate, but lost their wickets at regular interval.
Pakistan innings: Chasing an easy target, Pakistan made a bright start to score 193 runs for four in only 31.3 overs.
They raced to 100 in only 13.1 overs and 150 in 22.2 overs giving a damn to the Indian bowlers.
Pakistani cricketers seemed to be emboldened by the presence of their Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, in the VIP gallery. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also witnessed the match along with Pakistan premier.
Saeed Anwar, who holds the one-day world record with 194 runs in an innings, scored a hurricane 51 runs off just 40 balls with eight fours and a mighty sixer over the bowler's head off S. Bahutule. Opener Shahid Afridi, who earlier bowled most economically (10-2-21-0), was the first Pakistani batsman to return to the pavilion. He was caught by Bahutule off Srinath with the team total on 31 for 1 in 2.5 overs. Afridi made a quickfire 21 runs in 13 balls with two fours and a sixer. Hard-hitting Inzamamul Haq made an entertaining run-a-ball 40 with three fours and three huge sixes.
Inzamam punished Bahutule hammering two sixers in the 22nd over - the first over long off and another over mid-wicket.
Ijaz Ahmed added not out 40 runs off 45 balls that featured five fours while Aamir Sohail scored 36 runs off 56 balls with three hits to the fence on way to Pakistan's comfortable victory.
Robin Singh claimed two Pakistani wickets conceding 24 runs in 9 overs with three maidens while pacers Srinath and Harvinder Singh took one wicket each.
After winning today's vital match, both Pakistani manager and captain said total teamwork made the victory possible.
They, however, pointed out that Sachin Tendulkar's early exit helped Pakistan to win the second final to square off the three-match finals 1-1, keeping their hope alive for winning the tournament.