After Pakistan won the first match, the two sides met again the next day in Abu Dhabi to decide the outcome of the DLF Cup, all proceeds going to the victims of the previous year’s earthquake in Kashmir.
India again won the toss and chose to bat, but this time with a happier outcome.
Their success was built on an opening partnership of 138, between Virender Sehwag, who had not played in the first match, and captain Rahul Dravid. Sehwag set the tone, scoring 73 off 83 balls, including a six and 10 fours. After he was bowled by Shahid Afridi, M.S. Dhoni joined Dravid and continued the momentum.
The pair added 90 before both fell in successive overs. Dravid was the first to go, for 92, having struck 10 fours. He was followed by Dhoni, whose 59 included five fours. Yuvraj Singh then blasted 24 off just 10 balls, including a six, as India reached 269/5.
Pakistan then suffered an early jolt when they lost both Imran Farhat and Shahid Afridi early. Shoaib Malik and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq tried to keep the innings together with a stand of 46. But after Malik departed for 45, Inzamam was left to find support from other quarters.
At 148/7 the innings looked it might end early, but a stand of 50 for the eight wicket, between Inzamam and Naved-ul-Hasan delayed things for a while, until the latter departed for 27.
Inzamam was the penultimate wicket to fall, out for 79, having struck a six and nine fours, but the result was beyond question by then, even if the last wicket pair of Iftikhar Anjum and Mohammad Asif managed to keep the innings going until the 46th over. Pakistan were bowled out for 218, with 28 balls to spare.
Dravid was named Player of the Match. Perhaps fittingly, it was his opposite number Inzamam who collected the Player of the Series award.
Honour was, for once, satisfied on both sides as the series finished all-square, and it had all been for a good cause.