Yuvraj on song as Indians make it 4-1

Karachi: Yuvraj Singh hit an unbeaten century and Mahendra Singh Dhoni a blazing 77 yesterday, propelling India to an eight-wicket win over Pakistan to clinch the series 4-1.

The two posted an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 146 in just 99 balls to power India to 287 for two in 46.5 overs in reply to Pakistan's 286 for eight. Yuvraj ended on 107 after a shambolic fielding display by the Pakistanis.

Pakistan's total was built on half centuries from Younis Khan (74 not out) and Mohammad Yousuf (67) while Indian paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth took four for 58.

Pakistan won the first match in Peshawar before being outclassed in the next four games when India made four successful run chases.

Losing captain Inzamam-ul-Haq said India had played well after losing the Test series 1-0.

"We clearly have to raise our fielding standards. It was disappointing," he said.

"Our bowlers also have to learn to bowl under pressure. The mood is down in the camp now but every series is a new series and we will try to learn from our mistakes."

Indian skipper Rahul Dravid, who became the fourth Indian to pass 9,000 runs in one-dayers, said he was very proud of how his team had recovered after losing the Test series.

"We had a pretty good tour except for that one bad week in Karachi. But the confidence was always good in the group and the guys responded well to the challenge," he said.

It was India's 13th consecutive successful run-chase and their 12th victory in their last 16 matches.

Younis and Yousuf added 95 in 110 balls for the fifth wicket after a 62-run opening wicket stand by Kamran Akmal and Imran Farhat for Pakistan.

India's batsmen were rampant and Dhoni exemplified their domination in the absence of Tendulkar who was rested.

Dhoni brought up victory in the 47th over by smashing paceman Mohammad Sami for two big sixes.

Yuvraj's century was his sixth in one-dayers and he faced 93 balls and hit 15 fours. Dhoni's runs came from 56 balls with six fours and four sixes.

They picked the gaps beautifully as Pakistan dropped at least three chances and regularly fumbled in the field.

Left-hander Yuvraj said: "I guess after being on the scene for five years I am getting more consistent now. "I have learnt a lot in these years. Mentally I am much stronger."

Scoreboard

Pakistan
Kamran Akmal c Singh b Sreesanth 25
Imran Farhat c and b Sreesanth 24
Shoaib Malek c Raina b Sreesanth 12
M. Yousuf c Zaheer b Agarkar 67
Inzamam-ul Haq lbw b Powar 21
Younis Khan not out 74
Abdul Razzaq c Dravid b Singh 24
Yasir Arafat b Zaheer 10
Mohammad Sami c Kaif b Sreesanth 2
Rao Iftikhar not out 6
Extras (lb5, nb2, w14) 21
Total (for eight wickets) 286
Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-71, 3-77, 4-115, 5-210, 6-239, 7-261, 8-264.
Bowling: Zaheer 10-0-64-1, Agarkar 10-1-60-1, Sreesanth 10-1-58-4, Singh 10-1-50-1, Powar 10-0-49-1
Overs: 50

India
G. Gambhir c Akmal b Iftikhar 38
R. Dravid c Malek b Sami 50
Y. Singh not out 107
M. Dhoni not out 77
Extras (lb8, w7) 15
Total (for two wickets) 287
Fall of wickets: 1-69, 2-141.
Bowling: Sami 8.5-0-65-1, Asif 9-0-48-0, Iftikhar 10-0-44-1, Arafat 8-0-51-0, Malek 3-0-22-0, Razzaq 8-0-49-0
Overs: 46.5

Result: India won by eight wickets, take five-match series 4-1
Super-sub: Murali Kartik (IND), Faisal Iqbal (IND)
Toss: India
Umpires: Steve Bucknor (WIS), Aleem Dar (PAK).