NEW DELHI, April 17 (Reuters) - A resurgent Pakistan crushed India by 159 runs in the sixth and final one-dayer on Sunday to clinch the series 4-2 in a match marred by crowd trouble.
Pakistan put on a superb all-round display, rattling up 303 for eight wickets after captain Inzamam-ul Haq elected to bat and then skittling the hosts for 144 on a slow pitch.
Shoaib Malik top-scored with 72, his third fifty of the series, and Inzamam made a run-a-ball 68 as Pakistan, who had trailed 2-0 in the series, set India a challenging total.
Inzamam shared in a 91-run fifth wicket partnership with his deputy Younis Khan (40) off just 78 balls after Malik's 85-run third wicket stand with Yousuf Youhana, who made 50.
Missiles and water bottles were hurled on to the pitch as India slid to defeat after being reduced to 94-6. Play resumed after 15 minutes with riot police moving into the stands where the trouble had erupted.
India faltered at the beginning of their chase after both openers Virender Sehwag (21) and Sachin Tendulkar (9) fell in the first 10 overs and stand-in captain Rahul Dravid (19) was run out, reducing the innings to 64-3.
It was Pakistan's eighth victory in the last 10 games against India.
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf attended the high profile game during a trip dubbed 'cricket diplomacy' by the media and seen as a sign of improving relations between the cricket-mad south Asian neighbours.
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Pakistani players celebrating after clinching the series by winning the final (6th) one-day international against India in New Delhi |
UPHILL TASK
It was an uphill task for India once Inzamam won the toss and helped to post a big total.
Sehwag was caught off a no ball and survived an lbw shout before scoring. He was out when he slashed paceman Naved Rana to slip. Tendulkar was then bowled by paceman Rao Iftikhar, his fourth single digit score in the series.
Dravid, dropped second ball by Iftikhar on his follow through, was run out to a direct hit by Youhana attempting a single before the innings went into a slump.
Malik, who hit 75 and 65 in games three and four to enable his team to rally from 2-0 down, and Youhana revived Pakistan from 68 for two after opener Shahid Afridi's 23-ball 44.
Youhana was run out after reaching his 42nd one-day fifty and Malik, who hit eight fours in his 14th fifty, was bowled by paceman Ajit Agarkar.
Inzamam then took charge as 91 runs came in the last 10 overs before he was out in the final over.
The 35-year-old Inzamam stretched India's bowling and fielding despite needing attention for a persistent back problem and was absent when India batted.
