Toss: New Zealand.
Put in, Pakistan were dismissed for 102, their lowest total against New Zealand, as Pringle, bowling with sustained accuracy, and Watson availed themselves of the favourable conditions. By the close New Zealand themselves were in trouble at 40 for four, with Horne having retired hurt after ducking into a delivery from Waqar Younis early on. Younis, in his last three overs of the day, had Greatbatch caught behind, yorked Rutherford first ball, and sent back Patel, who had averted the hat-trick. After the rest day (brought forward to coincide with provincial elections) Crowe, Morrison and Smith began the recovery which saw New Zealand lead by 115 runs. Morrison, who batted for more than four hours as night-watchman, helped add 77 for the sixth wicket with Smith, whose 61 came from 44 balls and contained eleven fours.
Before the second day was over, Shoaib Mohammad had passed 2,000 runs in Tests, and on the third day Javed Miandad, when 14, reached 8,000 runs in his 107th Test, the fifth to do so after Sir Garfield Sobers, G. Boycott, S. M. Gavaskar and A. R. Border. Shoaib, meanwhile, had moved on to his seventh Test hundred, after 5 hours 39 minutes, and with Salim Malik (126 balls, twelve fours) had added 131 for the third wicket to wipe out the arrears. Another century partnership with Miandad put Pakistan in a good position, but Morrison, taking four wickets in seventeen balls, prevented it from becoming a commanding one. Pringle, with another four wickets, became the first New Zealander to take ten or more wickets in a Test against Pakistan.
Needing 243 to win, New Zealand were 31 for four at stumps, Aqib Javed having removed three batsmen in seventeen balls. Hopes that Crowe and Rutherford would redeem the situation were dashed next morning when the captain was caught at the wicket in Younis's fourth over and Rutherford followed in a similar fashion to Saleem Jaffer 19 runs later. Patel and Bradburn batted defiantly, adding 84 for the seventh wicket and getting New Zealand closer to their target, but in the end there was no denying Waqar Younis.
Man of the Match: Waqar Younis
