WELLINGTON, 18 January 2004 — New Zealand withstood a withering assault by Pakistan’s Abdul Razzaq to win a pulsating fifth and final One-day International by four runs yesterday.
All rounder Razzaq struck 89 from just 40 balls to take Pakistan to the brink of a huge victory target of 308 but New Zealand held their nerve to clinch the series 4-1.
Razzaq came to the wicket when Pakistan were 171 for five, needing 11 runs an over for victory, and he received good support from Moin Khan (52) and Inzamam ul-Haq (67). Razzaq smashed five sixes and nine fours and when he was out, well caught by Hamish Marshall at long off, just 14 runs were needed off 11 deliveries.
The tourists required seven runs from the final over bowled by Kyle Mills with just one wicket remaining, but off the third delivery Shabbir Ahmed hit the ball straight to Scott Styris at mid-wicket and ran. Sent back by Mohammad Sami, Shabbir was short of his ground and was run out.
The highlight of the hosts’ innings was a New Zealand record fourth-wicket partnership of 157 between Marshall and Craig McMillan after they had been in trouble at 73 for three. The stand, surpassing the 150 added by Roger Twose and Chris Cairns against South Africa in Cape Town in 2000-01, ended when McMillan fell for a sparkling 81, including two sixes and eight fours.
Marshall, who only made his one-day debut in Pakistan two months ago, made 84, including eight boundaries, before being run out following a mix-up with Cairns.
Cairns made amends with a punishing innings of 36 from 20 balls before being run out by a good throw from Inzamam as he attempted a second run.
