Pakistan, perhaps the most unpredictable outfit in international cricket, have astonished the world time and again with their ability to climb up from the deepest canyon. After a prosaic performance in Guwahati, Pakistan came back roaring into the five-match series with a four-wicket win in the second one-dayer at Mohali.

The 30,000-odd spectators had every reason to believe Diwali has arrived a bit early as India’s batsmen, led by Sachin Tendulkar who missed his hundred by just one run, waded into the opposition with gusto, piling up 321 for nine.

But their joyous chants soon gave way to stunned silence as Pakistan mounted a measured chase, Younis Khan donning the lead role with a brilliant hundred to hunt down the target with just a ball to spare.

The fiery start Pakistan had to their innings, courtesy the classy Salman Butt, foretold a tough fight from them.

But the Indian bowlers wrested the initiative with a tidy spell.

In fact, Pakistan’s run-rate was just over 4.5 runs at the half-way mark, and the task appeared improbable for them at that stage. Harbhajan Singh and Sourav Ganguly, who did the fifth bowler’s duty, created pockets of pressure to put Pakistan in a tight corner in the middle overs.

The visitors showed the first signs of recovery when Younis stitched together a brisk 69 for the fourth wicket with skipper Shoaib Malik. The latter perished in his effort to speed up the scoring rate, giving a straightforward catch to Irfan Pathan at long-on off Harbhajan.

But Pakistan did not lose momentum as Misbah-ul-Haq supported Younis in a splendid manner to raise 102 in just 76 balls, Misbah contributing 49. Their partnership was a lesson in collecting runs at a fast clip without taking undue risks, and Younis took the responsibility upon himself to marshal that partnership.

It was an area India lacked in their innings as, after the dismissal of Tendulkar, they hardly found anybody willing to occupy the crease. That approach deprived of them at least 20 runs.

Pakistan lost both Younis and Misbah in quick succession -- Zaheer Khan and Rudra Pratap Singh castling them respectively -- and they suddenly slumped to 283 for six in the 47th over, with 39 needed for victory
But Shahid Afridi was in a punishing mood. The six he smashed off RP Singh in the 49th over brought things in favour of Pakistan.

Sohail Tanvir gave Afridi solid company in the last stages as the pair took Pakistan home, Afridi bringing up the winning run off the penultimate delivery.

Earlier, a flamboyant and vibrant India resurfaced in emphatic fashion as a dominant batting show put the hosts in a commanding position.

However, there was a tinge of melancholy to the Indian innings as Tendulkar fell for 99, after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni batted first by choice. It was the third time this season that the Mumbaikar was dismissed just a run short of hundred, and the fifth time in the 90s.

Gem of a knock

Tendulkar played a peach of an innings till he edged paceman Umar Gul to Akmal behind the wicket. There were moments of struggle when Shoaib Akhtar and Gul -- the duo came up with fiery opening spells -- tested him with quick incoming deliveries, and the occasional outswingers.

The master batsman showed enough pluck to survive the uncertain period, and there was no looking back once he got used to the pace of the pitch. Cuts, pulls and drives on the up flowed from his willow as Pakistan bowlers and fielders -- rusty throughout -- were reduced to spectators.

But his dismissal triggered a collapse as the visitors came back into the match with quick wickets. Harbhajan belted some meaty blows in the end to carry India to a formidable total, but it was Pakistan's turn to stand on the winner's podium.