NEW ZEALAND v PAKISTAN

At Wellington, December 20. Pakistan won by 54 runs. Toss: New Zealand.

Pakistan regained the lead in the series after a convincing performance by their batsmen. Aamir Sohail shared fifty stands with Ramiz Raja and Ijaz Ahmed, before Inzamam-ul-Haq scored his second successive half-century. But Wasim Akram was the most spectacular, smashing 36 in 15 balls, with two sixes and three fours. He continued to dominate the game by taking three wickets, backed up by Aqib Javed. New Zealand lost their ninth wicket at 174, still 87 behind, but Germon and Morrison edged them past 200. Referee Ranjan Madugalle fined two Pakistani players; Aqib lost half his match fee for an exchange with Parore when he had him lbw, and Mushtaq Ahmed paid up ten per cent for his reaction when umpire Watkin turned down a caught-and-bowled appeal against Germon.

Man of the Match: Wasim Akram.