The match came down to the wire in the final over with India needing four runs of the last two deliveries bowled by off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq to script a piece of one-day international history. An unheralded Hrishikesh Kanitkar pulled the penultimate ball over mid-wicket for four and with that India completed a then world record chase -- 316-7 in 47.5 overs.

But who would have thought the two fierce rivals would be placed in a similar situation at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday with winds of fortune this time blowing in Pakistan's way.

Interestingly, the fourth ODI was essentially a 48-over-a-side contest and the victory target was again 316 like in Dhaka seven years ago and once again fate of two passionate cricket-loving nations hinged on one ball. This time it was left on Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq to get those priceless runs from the bowling arm of Sachin Tendulkar.

And a cool and collected Inzamam pierced a packed close-in field through the off side -- Pakistan turned history on its head. The victory margin was a mirror image of India's epic three-wicket win.

It was again a connoisseur's delight with a vintage Sachin Tendulkar, who scored a blazing 41 off 26 balls in Dhaka, went on to score his 38th one-day hundred. Pakistan, unlike in Dhaka, where Saeed Anwar (140) and Ijaz Ahmed (117) blazed their guns, did not have to call upon any individual century maker. Rather it was a collective effort finished by Inzamam.

If you want one more similarity it has to be Indian captain Sourav Ganguly winning the toss just like his predecessor Mohammad Azharuddin.

But Ganguly will remember this game for all the wrong reasons not only as a captain but also as player. The elegant but out-of-form left-hander contributed only 18 compared to his majestic 124 in 1998.

Funny, how history repeats itself.