It was the 1692nd ODI in cricket history. It was New Zealand's 374th and Pakistan's 488th match. It was the 56th match between these two sides. The record now reads: New Zealand 21, Pakistan 33, tied one and abandoned one. It was the 28th match between these two sides in New Zealand. The record now reads: New Zealand 15, Pakistan 11, tied one and abandoned one. Umpires DB Cowie and AL Hill officiated in their 55th and seventh match respectively. Craig McMillan (104*) scored his maiden one-day international century in his 83rd match. He brought up his century with three sixes from Saqlain Mushtaq's final over, including one from the final ball of the innings. His previous best was 86 against South Africa at Adelaide on 06-12-1997. McMillan's century came off only 75 balls. He now shares the record of scoring the fastest century for New Zealand alongwith Chris Cairns. Cairns had also raced to his century off 75 balls while making 115 off 80 balls against India at this same venue on 19-01-1999. McMillan's century was only the second made by a New Zealander against Pakistan. The only other batsman to score a century against Pakistan is Nathan Astle who made 117 at Mohali on 09-05-1997. McMillan's innings is the highest for New Zealand against Pakistan in New Zealand. This obliterates Martin Crowe's 91 at Auckland on 21-03-1992 in World Cup Semifinal. McMillan hit five sixes during his whirlwind innings. He became the first New Zealander and only the fifth batsman in all to hit five or more sixes in an innings against Pakistan. Others to do so are Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (11 sixes during his innings of 134 at Singapore on 02-04-1996 and five sixes during his innings of 76 also at Singapore on 07-04-1996), India's Sachin Tendulkar (five sixes during his innings of 95 at Dhaka on 14-01-1998) and South Africa's Hansie Cronje (five sixes during his innings of 52 at East London on 11-04-1998). McMillan's scoring rate (138.66) is the second best by a New Zealander with 100 plus runs in an innings. The best remains Chris Cairns' 143.75 (115 off 80 balls) against India at this venue on 19-01-1999. New Zealand's total (284-5) just failed to equal its alltime highest against Pakistan. It had made 285 for 7 at Mohali on 09-05-1997. The total, however, is the best for New Zealand on home soil beating 277 for six at Napier on 12-01-1985. The second wicket partnership of 101 between Nathan Astle and Roger Twose equals New Zealand's best for this wicket against Pakistan. Martin Crowe and Adam Parore were involved in identical partnership at Port Elizabeth on 13-12-1994. The sixth wicket unbroken partnership of 112 runs between Craig McMillan and Chris Harris is New Zealand's best for this wicket against Pakistan. This obliterates the paltry 65 run-partnership between Jeremy Coney and Ian Smith at Multan on 07-12-1984. It was the third century partnership for sixth wicket for New Zealand at home soil. By an odd coincidence all three have been made at Jade Stadium in Christchurch. This was only the third century partnership for sixth wicket against Pakistan in all matches after the record 158 run-partnership between West Indians Richie Richardson and Jeff Dujon at Sharjah on 21-10-1991 and 116 run-partnership between Indians Sanjay Manjrekar and Nayan Mongia also at Sharjah on 12-04-1996. 24 runs were scored off Saqlain Mushtaq's last over (50th over of New Zealand innings). The sequence: 6,6,1 LB,0,1,1(no ball),1(no ball), 6-McMillan faced the first ball. Moin Khan (50) became the first Pakistani wicketkeeper to score a fifty against New Zealand. The previous highest score by a Pakistani wicketkeeper against New Zealand was 37 (unbeaten) made by Moin Khan himself at Sharjah on 13-11-1996 and by Anil Dalpat at Christchurch on 06-02-1985. Moin's fifty came while batting at number eight. He became the seventh Pakistani (on eighth occasion) to make a fifty at this position. Azhar Mahmood alone has done so on two occasions. Moin also became the first Pakistani and fourth batsman in all to make a fifty at number eight against New Zealand after Zimbabwean Heath Streak (79* at Auckland on 07-01-2001), India's Sunil Joshi (61*at Guwahati on 14-11-1999) and West Indian Nehemiah Perry (52* at Napier on 06-01-2000). Nathan Astle took three wickets in a single over (46th of Pakistan innings). The sequence:1,W (Inzamam),0,W (Akram),W (Moin),0.
Astle's figures (3 for 7) are the best by a New Zealander capturing exactly three wickets in a match. The previous best were 3 for nine recorded on two occasionsby Richard Hadlee against Sri Lanka at Dunedin on 02-03-1983 and Astle himself also against Sri Lanka at Wellington on 27-03-1997. Incidentally India's Ajay Jadeja holds the disctinction of conceding least runs while capturing three wickets in a match. Jadeja returned the figures of 3 for 3 against England at Sharjah on 09-04-1999. The victory margin of 138 runs is the biggest for New Zealand against Pakistan and the fourth biggest against all opponents. The accompanying table lists New Zealand's biggest wins in ODIs.
Margin Score Opp(Score) Venue Date Competition
206 276-7 Aus(70) Adelaide 27-01-1986 B&H WSC
181 309-5 EA(128) Edgbaston 07-06-1975 World Cup
161 338-4 Bang(177) Sharjah 28-04-1990 Australasia Cup
138 284-5 Pak(146) Christchurch 25-02-2001 [Pak]
119 307-8 Hol(188) Baroda (IPCL)17-02-1996 World Cup
116 304-5 SL(188) Auckland 20-03-1983 Rothman's Cup
110 277-6 Pak(167) Napier 12-01-1985 Rothman's Cup
109 276-8 UAE(167) Faisalabad 27-02-1996 World Cup
108 246-6 Ind(138) Dunedin 01-03-1990 Rothman's Cup
107 272-6 SL(165) Dunedin 06-12-1991 [SL]
104 234-6 SL(130) Colombo (SSC)03-03-1984 [SL]
103 295-6 Eng(192) Wellington 23-02-1983 Rothman's Cup
The defeat by 138 runs is Pakistan's fifth biggest in all ODIs. Just for the record, Pakistan's worst defeat came against England at Nottingham on 20-08-1992 when they were routed by a huge margin of 198 runs. McMillan won his third man of the match award. 