By Ayanjit Sen BBC correspondent, Karachi

With so many bottles and placards, 30,000 cricket fans celebrated history being made at the National Stadium in Karachi.

When Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar bowled the first ball to Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag, it was the start of a new era in the history of cricketing relations between the two countries.

Unity on the terraces

Ignoring the hot and blazing sun, spectators flocked to see the battle between the ball and the bat.

Security was tight throughout the match and even before its commencement sniffer dogs went around the ground.

Helicopters kept strict vigil around the stadium and security forces were present in all corners of the ground.

Even an address by the Pakistani President - General Pervez Musharraf asking fans to maintain peace in the stadium - was played out on stadium loudspeakers.

The atmosphere inside the ground was electric.

The crowd was so engrossed in the game from the first ball itself that a war of words among two fans in one of the enclosures was immediately booed down by them.

People who did not manage to get tickets lined up near television showrooms around the city or watched from the comfort of their homes.

The streets were empty and it seemed the whole of Karachi had come to a standstill.

There was harmony among the Pakistani and the few Indian fans in the stadium. They mingled freely and even exchanged pleasantries.

May the best team win!

Though it was a nail-biting finish, the crowd applauded both teams when they were returning to their dressing rooms.

"The best shot that I saw today was from Virender Sehwag. Though we lost the game, our captain Inzamam-ul-Haq played very well for his brilliant century," said Enamul, a businessman based in Karachi.

Despite India's prolific batting, if somebody stole the show for a while inside the stadium, it was Priyanka Gandhi, the daughter of India's main opposition leader Sonia Gandhi.

She, along with her brother Rahul, was given a standing ovation in whichever stand she visited to watch a few overs.

Ms Gandhi told the BBC it felt good to be in Pakistan.

"We have come here to cheer the Indian team which is doing very well at the moment," she said.

Later, she sat at the press box along with her husband and brother as journalists made a beeline to speak to her.

For many, it had been a perfect start to a series and they felt lucky to be part of it.