A marvellously combative contest at Headingley - one which promises to have lasting significance - ultimately succumbed to delirious scenes more resonant of Karachi or Lahore as a breathless Pakistan victory left Australia's World Cup challenge on the verge of collapse.
Australia were 10 runs short of Pakistan's 275, with two deliveries remaining, when Wasim Akram bowled Glenn McGrath with a low full toss. Two balls earlier, Damien Martyn's stumps had also been wrecked: first by the bowler, then by a premature pitch invasion. Wasim's ambition to crown his career with World Cup victory continues to burst from every sinew.
Pakistan supporters made up at least three-quarters of a 15,000 capacity crowd. Although the final pitch invasion led to several arrests, this shabbiest of grounds had been wonderfully animated all day.
Even in such a meaningful defeat, Australia could salvage pride from the manner in which their batsmen approached a colossal undertaking against a classy Pakistan attack. The ball swung for Shoaib Akhtar, seamed for the medium pacers and spun for Saqlain Mushtaq. Then there was Wasim.
The tension was never more visible than in an altercation between Steve Waugh and Shoaib, which involved fleeting body contact, a spot of eyeballing and a descriptive phrase or two. Raman Subba Row, the match referee, gave Shoaib an unofficial caution.
Shoaib bore the expression of a wronged man when a big inswinger, with Waugh on 29, failed to win an lbw verdict from Rudi Koertzen; Abdur Razzaq's spilled catch, diving at long-on with Waugh 46, deepened his frustration. But two balls later, another inswinger took Waugh's off stump, leaving him to punch the air in voiceless triumph.
Australia started poorly when Adam Gilchrist was bowled by Wasim for nought. The impetus begun by Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh was taken up by Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan as they added 113 in 22 overs, before Wasim's return with nine overs left instantly accounted for Bevan at backward point.
Pakistan supporters had delighted earlier in paying homage to Inzamam-ul-Haq, a task which as ever, as he made 81 from 104 balls, involved a heady mixture of admiration and ridicule. Cumbersome of foot and mournful of expression, Inzy is as oblivious to the world of the sharply-stolen single as he is to a life on a low-fat diet. He remains forever contemplative, however frantic life becomes around him. When he hits the ball, though, it stays hit.
Pakistan team-mates envisaging something more fleet-footed were liable to find themselves at the same end as Inzamam, where attempts to challenge him upon his inertia met only a bewildered silence. Yousuf Youhana met that fate, although not before a brilliant 29 from 16 balls.
Razzaq had been Inzamam's chief ally, reaching 60 before Damien Fleming held a flat catch off Shane Warne at long off. Australia's selection of only four frontline bowlers was exposed as Steve Waugh, Darren Lehmann and Martyn conceded 79 between them.
At Bristol, Sachin Tendulkar played one of the great one-day innings in India's 94 run victory over Kenya - just five days after the death of his father.
India's greatest player barely smiled throughout his extraordinary innings of 140 not out. For most of his 101 balls, his face seemed set in stone. Once, just once, a flicker of a smile crossed his face.
