Pakistan ease in to Super Six

Wasim Akram's unbeaten Pakistan beat New Zealand by 62 runs at Derby yesterday to reach the second round of the World Cup.

Inzamam-ul Haq, man of the match for the second consecutive game, hammered 73 not out off 61 balls and Ijaz Ahmed made 51 as Pakistan scored 269 for eight after being asked to bat by New Zeraland.

New Zealand were then restricted for 207 for eight by the destructive Pakistani attack led by Shoaib Akhtar. Shoaib began the rout with two wickets in his first three overs, openers Nathan Astle and Matt Horne both departing caught behind.

Wickets continued to fall steadily, with the only resistance coming from skipper Stephen Fleming, who made 69 during a 83-run stand for the seventh wicket with Chris Harris. Harris went near the end for 42.

Seamer Azhar Mahmood, who removed Chris Cairns and Adam Parore off successive balls, finished with figures of three for 38. Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq two for 34. New Zealand found the Pakistani quick bowlers too hot to handle. They slipped to 71 for six by the 20th over, before Fleming and Harris came together to take the score to 154.

Left-handed Fleming, who came in the sixth over, stayed till the 39th when he pulled Mahmood to his counterpart Akram at midwicket.

Earlier, left-arm pace bowler Geoff Allott picked up four for 64 to rattle the Pakistani top order.

Pakistan lost four middle-order wickets in quick succession to make it 226 for seven before Inzamam hit out, with 83 coming off the last 10 overs.

Openers Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi began the day by cracking 12 runs, including a six and a four, off the first six balls by Dion Nash. They went on to hammer 40 off 30 balls before Afridi edged Allott to the wicket-keeper.

Left-hander Anwar hit 28 off 25 balls before Allott bowled him around his legs. Abdul Razzaq helped Ijaz Ahmed carry the score from 51 to 127 for two before running himself out in the 29th over.

Ijaz was then run out for 51 as he became the latest victim of Inzamam's poor running. Moin Khan added a quick-fire 41 for the sixth wicket with Inzamam.