At Karachi, February 19, 2006. India won by eight wickets. Toss: India.
India romped to the end of the tour with their 13th successive one-day victory batting second,
courtesy of a storming stand between Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh. It was not exactly a crisis when
they joined forces, but the equation read 146 from 118 balls. They used only 99. Both went about
it with the nonchalance they had shown throughout the series: Dhoni his brutal self, Yuvraj an
elegant contrast with his arrogant off-side play. They were ably assisted by woeful fielding from
a shattered Pakistan. Catches were shelled, run-outs missed and fumbles commonplace in a display
that prompted calls to hire a fielding coach. The general clumsiness mirrored another poor batting
performance. The habitual top-order collapse, engineered by Sreesanth's persistent seam bowling,
was less disastrous than before, but just as telling. On a one-day belter, Younis Khan and
Mohammad Yousuf added 95 in a partnership pleasing on the eye, though never enough to retrieve
Pakistan's respect.
Man of the Match: Yuvraj Singh.
Man of the Series: Yuvraj Singh.