LONDON (AFP) - Pakistan captain Younus Khan lavished rich praise on Abdur Razzaq and Umar Gul after his team roared back into the World Twenty20 after a stunning win over New Zealand.
Needing a win to stay in the competition, Pakistan rode on seamer Gul's amazing figures of five wickets for six runs in three overs to skittle New Zealand out for a paltry 99 at the Oval on Saturday.
Pakistan surpassed the modest target in 13.1 overs for the loss of four wickets to come back strongly after losing their opening Super Eights match to Sri Lanka by 19 runs on Friday.
Gul became the first bowler in history to claim five wickets in Twenty20 internationals, but Younus said it was the seamer's partnership with Abdur Razzaq that clinched victory for his team.
"It is all about partnerships. You need a good start in Twenty20 cricket and Razzaq gave us that," the Pakistani captain said.
Razzaq made a memorable return to official cricket after two years when he grabbed a wicket off his fourth delivery and another one in his third over to reduce New Zealand to 37-3.
The 29-year-old was called up as a replacement for the injured Yasir Arafat after breaking links with the rebel Indian Cricket League.
Asked to open the bowling by Younus, Razzaq had the dangerous Brendon McCullum caught at point before trapping Martin Guptill leg-before.
Gul, brought on as the sixth bowler, claimed four of the last five wickets to leave Pakistan chasing a modest target of 5.5 runs an over.
"I am delighted that Razzaq is back," said Younus.
"We do not have experience of Twenty20 cricket because we do not play so much of it at home or international matches. We did not even get to play in the Indian Premier League this year.