New Zealand's middle-order helps them overcome Pakistan in Hamilton and extend their winning run in completed matches across all formats to 11 games
Match Report:
ScorecardDe Grandhomme fires in Black Caps win
A bruising Colin de Grandhomme knock has rescued the Black Caps and helped them to a five-wicket fourth-ODI win over Pakistan.
The returning de Grandhomme - out since early December on bereavement leave - showed no signs of rust in Hamilton, banging 74 in 40 balls and helping New Zealand reach their target of 263 with four overs to spare.
For the Black Caps, de Grandhomme's effort came right in time.
Starting strongly with openers Colin Munro (56) and Martin Guptill (31), the Kiwis then collapsed, finding themselves at 5-154 after skipper Kane Williamson's dismissal.
But de Grandhomme and Henry Nicholls (52 not out) steadied the ship in clinical fashion, racking up an unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership of 109 off 65 balls.
Image Id: B8C04B82604C40E6BBCC5A9D1121C211 Image Caption: Kane Willamson celebrates a wicket during New Zealand's victory in Hamilton // Getty
The Zimbabwean-born all-rounder was simply brutal against the Pakistani spin attack, hitting seven boundaries and five sixes.
His efforts from seventh in the order, as well as solid knocks from Nicholls and Munro, will keep New Zealand flying high ahead of their final ODI against Pakistan and their three subsequent Twenty20 matches.
Tuesday's victory was also a New Zealand record 11th successive triumph in completed matches in all formats, having previously swept the West Indies.
"I felt like I'd been hitting it well in the nets, and I just took what I'd been doing in the nets and brought it out here," de Grandhomme said.
"It was crucial for Henry to be there until the end."
Earlier, an expensive final over from death-bowling paceman Trent Boult had helped a much-improved Pakistan reach 8-262.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat, the tourists were a far cry from their pathetic third-ODI showing, in which they scored just 74.
Much of that was down to the sixth-wicket partnership of Mohammad Hafeez and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, who racked up a 98-run stand.
Ahmed picked up 51 before being removed by Boult, while a thunderous Hafeez bashed out 81 and was run out by Boult on the final ball.
He scored 22 runs in the final over to give Pakistan a sniff – only for de Grandhomme to kill off their chances.
"To see him come out and play like that was something special," Williamson said.