With India two matches to one up in the five match series, the two sides met again at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club.
India won the toss and chose to field, but the decision backfired. Openers Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar put on 42 for the first wicket, but their innings really took shape when Ijaz Ahmed came to the crease.
Ijaz scored 90 off 110 balls, including a six and seven fours, putting on 86 for the fifth wicket with Inzamam ul-Haq, who made 40, and 35 for the sixth with Moin Khan, who was eventually dismissed for 33. Largely thanks to his efforts, Pakistan were able to make 258/8.
India never recovered from losing both openers, Nayan Mongia and Sachin Tendulkar cheaply. Ajay Jadeja top-scored with 47 and Rahul Dravid made 25, but they were never really in the contest, and were bowled out in the 40th over for just 161. Saqlain Mushtaq took 3-9, Saleem Malik 2-6, and Wasim Akram 2-11.
Pakistan won by 97 runs.
That meant everything was set up for the decider, the fifth ODI at the same venue.
This time Pakistan won the toss, and, defying the conventional wisdom, chose to bat. It proved to be the correct choice, especially when Malik provided an injection of pace into their middle order, scoring 43 off 47 balls, including seven fours.Anil Kumble took 3-47, but Pakistan still managed to reach 213/9.
India were looking for a big innings from their captain Tendulkar. However, once he was out for 23, no one was able to take up the slack. Only No. 11 Venkatesh Prasad offered some resistance, smashing two sixes, but it was too late by then. India were bowled out for 161 in the 46th over. Mushtaq Ahmed starred with the ball for Pakistan, taking 5-36 from his 10 overs.
Pakistan won by 52 runs, clinching the series by three matches to two to become the inaugural winners of the Friendship Cup.