KARACHI, March 13: Rival captains Saurav Ganguly and Inzamam-ul-Haq were unanimous in declaring cricket the winner after India pulled off a sensational five-run win over Pakistan on Saturday.

In a dramatic run feast befitting the resumption of cricketing ties between the two rival nations, Pakistan made 344-8 in reply to India's 349-7.

"It is difficult to remember a better one-dayer," Ganguly told a news conference after the match at the National stadium in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi.

"It is good to start the series with a win but it was too close for comfort.

"Frankly, keeping the runs down in the last three overs and the brilliant catch by Mohammad Kaif to remove Shoaib Malik did the trick for us," Ganguly said.

Kaif ran 20 yards and dived over Hemang Badani to clutch the ball, while Ashish Nehra conceded just three runs in the final over when Pakistan needed nine to win.

Asked if he feared a repeat of the Sharjah final in 1986 when Javed Miandad, the current Pakistani coach, hit the winning six off the final delivery from Chetan Sharma, the Indian captain said he did not believe in history.

"I don't believe in history and there was no Miandad at the crease," he said.

Ganguly praised left-arm seamer Nehra who kept his cool while bowling the last over.

"He (Nehra) was asked not to give 10 runs and he did the job despite the pressure of an India-Pakistan match," he said.

Pakistan's Inzamam said he was not disappointed at losing the match.

"You can't be disappointed at a game like this," he said.

"As Saurav said, cricket was the ultimate winner. We fought till the end and the crowd had a lot to cheer the whole day," he said.

Inzamam defended his decision to ask India to bat first, but conceded his bowlers did not live up to expectaions.

"Our bowlers were off the mark and if Shoaib Akhtar had got those early breakthroughs it might have been a different story," he said, referring to Virender Sehwag's dropped catch and Sachin Tendulkar's dismissal off a no ball.

Inzamam said he would have termed his innings of 122 as the best if his side had won the match.

"We have four matches to go and I am confident we will win," he said.-AFP