Wisden
NatWest Series Final

Australia v Pakistan 2001

At Lord's, June 23. Australia won by nine wickets. Toss: Pakistan.
Australia took the NatWest Series Trophy with almost as much ease as they won the World Cup final against the same opponents on the same ground two years earlier. Contained by clinical, accurate bowling - even Lee, expensive earlier in the tournament, conceded only 20 runs from his eight overs - the frustrated Pakistan batsmen lost big wickets at key moments. When Abdur Razzaq mishooked Lee to short mid-wicket, just as he was beginning to accelerate mid-way through the innings, Pakistan were 92 for five and struggling. Once the Australian batting set to work, the one-sided nature of the game was fully evident; victory came with 23 overs to spare. Gilchrist continued his impressive finale to the tournament, smashing two sixes and eight fours in an unbeaten 76 from 93 balls, and fittingly hit the winning runs. Ponting's glorious cameo 35, containing five fours and a six in 23 balls, encapsulated the new heights to which Australia had taken one-day cricket.
Man of the Match: A. C. Gilchrist. Player of the Series: Waqar Younis.

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