Batting first at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand got off to their usual brisk start thanks to the histrionics of Mark Greatbatch. But when he and opening partner John Wright both fell in the space of 4 runs, New Zealand needed something special. Martin Crowe had been named the player of the series just before this match and he walked out to show just why. He was part of two crucial partnerships, the first with Andrew Jones (21) worth 48 runs and the second, the more telling one, with Ken Rutherford (50) worth 107.
Just as Rutherford fell, Crowe injured himself but continued to bat. His injury would have a bigger impact in the second half of the game when John Wright would have to captain the defence of New Zealand's formidable total of 262. Crowe's contribution of 91 (83b) was the biggest of the match and he had indeed proved why he deserved to be the man of the series.
Inzamam ul-Haq was already a household name by the time he walked in to bat. He was a household name because he was the victim of Rhodes' flying run out earlier in the tournament! But here, he flailed the ball to all corners of the ground and even when New Zealand's secret weapon Deepak Patel came on to bowl, he was treated with scant respect.
Patel's first 8 overs had returns of 1/28 but the last two went for 22 and no wickets! So brutal was Inzamam's assault that he overtook Miandad who was batting solidly and scored 60 runs in just 48 balls. He was eventually run out, but he had tilted the match back in Pakistan's favour. Wasim Akram came in next and fell for just 9 but Miandad was still there and he was joined by Moin Khan who blitzed his way to a 20 (11b) and saw Pakistan home.
The 'cornered tigers' were the only team to beat New Zealand in the World Cup and they had done so twice in four days! Inzamam was a new star and this time, he was recognised for his batting too!
