Pakistan had wrapped up the three-match series with comprehensive victories in Chennai and Kolkata, and appeared set for another comfortable win in Delhi in the final match of the tour keeping India to just 167. However, Pakistan was then bowled out for 157 to fall 10 runs short.
India captain MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first meaning they would be in the field during the near freezing conditions later in the night, but he was confident of setting a good total for Pakistan to chase down.
Virender Sehwag was left out of the Indian side with Ajinkya Rahane taking his place, but the swap for youth over experience didn’t work with Rahane making just four when caught behind off 7'1 giant Mohammad Irfan.
The big left-armer then soon after dismissed Gautam Gambhir for 15 to leave India in trouble at 2-29.
Irfan's fellow left-arm opening bowler Junaid Khan then got in on the action to get rid of Virat Kohli for seven before Mohammad Hafeez left the Indians at 4-63 when he bowled Yuvraj Singh for 23.
Dhoni and Suresh Raina then led somewhat of a rescue mission putting on 48 for the fifth wicket before Raina was trapped in front LBW off Saeed Ajmal for 31.
Ravi Ashwin then was dismissed the same way off the same bowler off the very next ball to leave India struggling again at 6-111.
Dhoni went on to make 36 from 55 balls with three sixes before Umar Gul picked up his scalp with the score 7-131. Ravindra Jadeja did well to make 27, but India continued to struggle and were eventually bowled out for 167 in 43.4 overs.
Ajmal was the star with the ball for Pakistan with a career-best 5-24. Irfan also took 2-28 with Khan, Gul and Hafeez claiming a wicket each.
Pakistan would have been supremely confident of chasing down the 168 to victory with little problems, but their innings became immediately shaky when Kamran Akmal fell for a duck and Younis Khan for six.
The tourists were 2-14 after seven overs, but with Nasir Jamshed and captain Misbah-ul-Haq at the wicket still appeared to have things in order. Jamshed was coming off back-to-back centuries in the first two matches of the series but couldn’t make it a three-peat falling for 34.
Umar Akmal was recalled into the side and joined his captain at the wicket, and even though the pair put on a partnership of 52, it was tediously slow going at times.
Ul-Haq fell for 39 off 82 balls and then was quickly joined by former captain Shoaib Malik, who received a dodgy decision off Billy Bowden given out LBW off Ishant Sharma despite being hit on the pad outside of off stump.
However, Pakistan was struggling at 5-119 and then 6-125 when Akmal was stumped by Dhoni off Jadeja attempting a ridiculous run down the wicket.
Hafeez strode to the wicket at No. 7, though, after suffering an injury while bowling and Pakistan again looked to steady when he combined with Gul. However, Gul then ran out of patience and attempted a big shot off Sharma and was out caught in the deep for 11.
Ajmal was then caught behind off debutant Shami Ahmed for one and then Khan was run out for a duck after a horrible mix up with Hafeez.
Hafeez had managed to farm the strike off the giant Irfan, though, and hit a couple of boundaries off Sharma in the 49th over. Sharma then bowled a high full toss that was called a no ball.
Hafeez expected it to be a free hit and on the next ball hit it straight to mid wicket and was out caught as he was unaware that it wasn’t a free hit and the match came to an end with India winning by 10 runs.
It was a strong bowling effort from India led by 3-36 from Sharma, 2-31 from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 2-47 from Ashwin and 1-19 from Jadeja. Debutant Ahmed also held his nerve to take 1-23.