The series opener never reached the exalted heights it was expected to. But the match still was brilliant in its conception and execution, a shimmering mix of excellent efforts by India’s batsmen and bowlers.

A packed house might have enjoyed every second of it as it was their team – Team India – that came out with a wide grin on their faces.   Chasing a tricky 240 to win, Indian batsmen paced their chase to a nicety, overhauling the target in 47 overs losing five wickets. Earlier, a measured 83 from Mohammad Yousuf was the cornerstone of Pakistan's 239 for seven in the full quota of overs after skipper Shoaib Malilk elected to bat.

That total was supposed to give some anxious moments to the Indian batsmen, considering the slowness of the pitch. But they were in no mood to let go an opportunity to nose ahead in the five-match series.

The early departure of Sachin Tendulkar, trapped in front by Shoaib Akhtar, hinted a tough day for India. But the second-wicket alliance (82, 84b) between Sourav Ganguly and Gautam Gambhir guided India forward. Pakistan pace attack comprising Akhtar and Umar Gul was perceived to be a major hindrance for India's ambitions.

But the left-handed duo neutralised the threat in a superb fashion. Gambhir, though, had the assistance of luck as he edged Akhtar twice in succession in the latter's fourth over through the gap between first slip and wicketkeeper. The Delhi lad fully exploited the let offs to play nice little innings and its value grew in manifold under the given circumstances.

Ganguly played a shade slower than his partner, but the Kolkatan too looked assured during his stay at the crease, and used his feet well to create width and slam the ball over the cover region to collect boundaries.

A misunderstanding between Ganguly and Gambhir brought curtains to the partnership and the former's tenure at the crease. But they had done their job by then, and the rest of the batsmen had a relatively simpler task of building on the cushion.

But that was still a job to be completed and against a side like Pakistan even the slightest sign of complacency can be dangerous. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was adjudged the man of the match, and his deputy Yuvraj Singh displayed remarkable composure in taking India home.

There were too many temptations for the duo, a clutch of spinners and shorter boundaries might have prompted any other into something more spectacular. Dhoni and Yuvraj, however, hurdled over them, focusing firmly on a victory that they achieved without much ado in the end.

Dhoni and Yuvraj shared 105 runs for the fourth-wicket, while notching up individual fifties. Though they were dismissed in quick successions, it hardly made any difference to the outcome of the match.

Pakistan bowlers, too, could not find the right line against the Indians, especially in the middle overs, as the hosts' batsmen feasted upon the freebies with glee.

However, the Indians excelled in that aspect in the morning session. Murali Kartik and Harbhajan Singh manacled the visitors' batsmen, offering them no space to free their arms. They also exploited the slow nature of the pitch to telling effect as Pakistan batsmen struggled to play their strokes. The spin generated by the duo spoiled their efforts to move out of the crease and try something innovative to unsettle the bowlers.

Yousuf and Salman Butt were the only exceptions in the Pak batting line-up, playing with confidence. The left-handed opener gave Pakistan a good start in the company of Kamran Akmal and Zaheer Khan bore the brunt of their aggression, leaking 16 runs in his first two overs.

However, the introduction of Irfan Pathan changed the scenario as the Baroda left-arm seamer started with a maiden. Indian bowlers came back into the match in an emphatic fashion. Butt, who slammed a fifty, was run out after a yes-no situation with Younis Khan, but the dismissal was more a creation of the pressure applied by Indian bowlers.

Yousuf appeared immune to all the rumblings around him en route to a subdued, yet important half-century. The middle-order batsman received a reprieve when he was on nine. The right-hander, trying to hit Kartik against the turn, top-edged the ball but Ganguly failed latch onto the simplest of chances.

Yousuf treated himself to a fine fifty, but on the day nothing could prevent India's tryst with victory.