In an incredible destruction of the Indian bowling which virtually appeared to be a volcanic eruption Shahid Afridi raced to a 45-ball century to help Pakistan romp home by five wickets at Kanpur's Green Park to give the visitors an almost unassailable lead of 3-2. Full of blood at the age of 25 he clobbered the Indian assemblage of bowlers with a contempt that flung to the winds the age-old set rules and principles. If the Kanpur fans enjoyed the plunder and looting of runs the fielders also joined in the enjoyment and amusement.
No stroke was beyond his achievement; the drives were despatched with a devil-may-care swashbuckling spirit that may be called a synthesis of the aggression of Jessop and Trumper hammering the balls with terrifying force.
Afridi could not eclipse his own feat of the fastest 100 against Sri Lanka in 37 balls in 1996 but the blitzkrieg was good enough to equal Brian Lara's hundred in 45 deliveries smashed against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 1999.
When Afridi clouted Zaheer over midwicket in the eighth over it was his 200th six in one-day career.
Balaji's second over was blasted for 23 runs, Kumble, the noted spin sorcerer, was attacked for 22 runs; Dinesh Mongia was punished for an equal number of runs in one over. There were nine sixes and 10 boundaries in his innings that will be remembered for long by cricket historians, the fans and the general public.
The toss was won by India but surprisingly both the openers, who are reputed sloggers, were uncertain and tentative. In the second over Naveedul Hasan beat Tendulkar with his accuracy and a superb exhibition of seam bowling with the scoreboard showing 10 runs. A run later in the fourth over Sehwag too could not deal with a good length delivery that cut in. In four overs the Indians were deep in crisis. When Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh travelled back to the pavilion they had an appalling situation with the score 59 for 4.
An incisive opening burst of Naveedul Hasan that removed three key and reliable batsmen put India in dire straits though Dravid and Kaif put up some fight and tried to rebuild a torn innings with a 135-run fifth wicket stand. The outcome came soon after Kaif mishit a Razzaq delivery to be caught by substitute Hafeez at short midwicket with a personal contribution of 78.
Next it was the turn of Rahul Dravid to make a return journey, run out at 248. He hit a polished and gutsy 86, the highest for his side, making India's total look somewhat competitive and respectable.
The target of 250 appeared slim after Afridi had demolished the Indian attack with his magnificent assault.
Pakistan, with pretty batting by Shoaib Malik (41), Inzamamul Haq and Younus Khan had little difficulty in strolling to victory.
The story of the fifth one-day cannot be complete without appreciating the stellar role played by Rana Naveedul Hasan, a find of this tour whose telling blows in the earlier phase of the match broke the back of India. His main stress was on precision and accuracy and when Sehwag, Tendulkar and Dhoni were overwhelmed in the first four overs India were on a slippery ground and even though Dravid and Kaif tried might and main to make a recovery the home players could still not put up a decent score.
At the end of the Kanpur tie the Indian players appeared crestfallen, returning to the pavilion with sad and sullen faces.