Black Caps batsman Ross Taylor plays a shot during the fifth ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. Photo / Getty Images
An incisive bowling display by Matt Henry and composed batting from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor has secured the one-day international series against Pakistan 3-2 and broken the deadlock between the teams across all formats over the past six weeks in the United Arab Emirates.
The test series was drawn 1-1 as was the T20 contest and, leading into the final ODI in Abu Dhabi, the teams had won two games apiece. New Zealand's win is their fourth ODI series triumph in the past two years after previous triumphs over South Africa, England and India.
New Zealand won the toss and posted 275 for four, including just 100 runs in boundaries. However, if boundaries were rare for New Zealand, they were statistical outliers for Pakistan who scored one in the first 25 overs in front of a sizable crowd on Friday, the customary day off in the UAE.
New Zealand won by 68 runs after bowling Pakistan out for 207 with Henry taking five for 30 from nine overs. Only Ahmed Shehzad with 54 and Haris Sohail with 65 offered significant resistance.
Henry's five-wicket bag was his first in ODIs and his third haul of four wickets or better in six outings as he heaped further pressure on the selectors to pick him for the World Cup.
Once Shahid Afridi holed out to Taylor for 13 at deep mid-wicket to make it 205 for nine, the match was all but over, or at least the crowd thought so, as they stormed the exits.
Any chance at early Pakistani momentum was stymied when Nasir Jamshed was adjudged lbw in the first over. It's the third time Henry had completed such a feat in the series. He backed up with the dismissal of Younis Khan who gloved a loose delivery down the legside for 12.
A useful spell of left-arm orthodox bowling from Anton Devcich saw him trap Asad Shafiq lbw four overs later to reduce Pakistan to 38 for three.
New Zealand have a strong one-day international batting line-up but their performance revolves around anchors Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor. The pair again proved what a tour de force they can be, leading the visitors through the middle overs.
The latest effort saw them fulfil what New Zealand must hope is a default scenario when the World Cup starts in 56 days.
They combined in the 20th over and made a fourth century partnership (116) in their last eight ODI innings together. A lack of boundaries (7) was compensated by 83 singles to sustain a run rate of 5.04.
Williamson was caught behind on 97, deflecting a sweep onto his helmet off Afridi, Pakistan's talisman during the series. He finished with one for 33 from 10 overs. Taylor negotiated the remainder of the innings to finish on 88 not out.
The pair now have the second and third highest averages in New Zealand ODI history (Williamson 43.51 and Taylor 41.26), behind Glenn Turner's 47. They've batted together 23 times in the 50-over format and average 56.04. What they missed in match fitness against South Africa has been regained in the UAE.
Martin Guptill was dismissed for eight in the third over but Dean Brownlie offered another solid start. He has had a frustrating tour with his inability to anchor the innings, an issue which extends to the one-dayers against South Africa when he batted at No 3.
His scores of 20, 24, 14, 47, 42 and 34 since returning to the ODI frame in October suggest he's competent at international level. However, with Guptill and Brendon McCullum likely to open at the World Cup, Brownlie might stay on the periphery for now.
New Zealand brought Nathan McCullum and Devcich back into the team for Daniel Vettori and Corey Anderson. Vettori was flying home for his brother's wedding while Anderson and Jimmy Neesham were ruled out with groin injuries. Two local players acted as substitute fielders.
"It was such an up and down series and very tough but it's good to win against Pakistan," said Williamson.
"It was fantastic to learn from the Pakistan side and ultimately win such an evenly fought series," Williamson said. "The (Pakistan) middle-order has shown how powerful they are and to not let them get on top of us (today) has been brilliant."
Afridi found enough positives despite the loss with the World Cup in February and March fast approaching. "I congratulate New Zealand for the win," said Afridi, who deputised for Misbah-ul Haq, injured in the second game. "We have quite a few positives but our fielding needs to improve before the World Cup."
"The wickets of Ahmed Shehzad and Haris Sohail were crucial and their dismissals put us on the backfoot," Afridi said. "Bowlers bowled well, but we still gave away an extra 15-20 runs and later we lacked partnerships in batting."