Yusuf Pathan played a blinder of inning to guide India single handedly home chasing a daunting 316 for victory which gave India 4-0 lead in the series with one more to play in Chennai on 10th of December.
Yusuf Pathan in his inning of 123 runs off 93 balls smashed seven fours and seven towering sixes all which was hit with brutal power and timing. This inning has perhaps given him ticket for the world cup 2011. When he arrived at the crease the situation was worst for the Indians having lost three quick wickets after solid opening partnership of 67 runs between in-form Gautam Gambhir (27 runs off 24 balls) and P.Patel (53 runs off 57 balls).
Gambhir and Kohli both dismissed in 10th over to leave India at 68/2, however Yuvraj Singh (20 runs off 28 balls) and P.Patel did put on small partnership but dismissal of both batsmen in quick succession left India struggling at 108/4 in the 20th over.
Rohit Sharma (44 runs off 48 balls) who brought into the squad for last two one day game did provid some stability to the inning by adding 80 runs for the fifth wicket with Yusuf Pathan. It looked grim for India with Rohit Sharma getting out of Southee in the 34th over.
The match was interestingly poised with India 203/5 in 36 overs but rain stopped play and when play resumed after one hour break, Yusuf Pathan made his intension clear by hitting very first ball of D.Vettorie delivery into screaming fans beyond long-on. Few overs later Yusuf clubbed a length delivery from Kyle Mills over the roof at cow corner.
India smartly taken the batting powerplay from 39th over to 43rd over, however T.Southee and K.Mills bowled brilliantly in the batting powerplay with India manage to score just 23 runs in the four over. Yusuf Pathan roused himself in a violent 43rd over in which India scored 21 runs - he smashed Mills for three fours - a lofted hit overs cover and two flicks past short fine-leg - before crashing a length delivery for six over midwicket.
In the very next over he smashed A.McKay short delivery for huge six to bring his maiden ODI hundred.
Yusuf Pathan was well supported by young S.Tiwary (37* runs off 39 balls) who intelligently rotated the strike. The duo put on unbroken 133 runs off just 93 balls.
Earlier once again Gautam Gambhir won the toss and put visitors into bat. New Zealand unlike the other three games got off to flying start with 100 runs coming in just 14th over. But Indian spinners especially Pathan and Ashwin pulled New Zealand back with some quick wickets.
However the highest scorer for New Zealanders in the last game, James Franklin turned out to be an unlikely hero with the willow as his smashing innings of an unbeaten 98 from only 69 deliveries helped New Zealand to post a challenging total of 315/7 in their 50 overs.
James Franklin smashed 22 runs in the last over, hitting Ashish Nehra for two huge sixes and fours but didn’t manage to reach his maiden ODI hundred.
Yusuf Pathanwas declared Player of the Match for his superb unbeaten 123 runs off just 93 balls.
