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Kiwis beat Pakistan to make semis

Shane Bond took three wickets as New Zealand eased to victory

Bond (l) finished with three wickets as New Zealand eased to victory

New Zealand saw off Pakistan by 51 runs in Mohali to reach the Champions Trophy semi-finals and eliminate Sri Lanka from the tournament at the same time.

Scott Styris hit 86 for the Black Caps and skipper Stephen Fleming made 80 as they compiled a formidable 274-7.

Pakistan were struggling at 83-4 before Mohammad Yousuf (71) and Shoaib Malik (52) added 96 for the fifth wicket.

But once Yousuf fell, their innings quickly unravelled, with paceman Shane Bond taking 3-45 from his 10 overs.

The result leaves Pakistan needing to beat South Africa in their final group game to qualify for the last four.

But they were on top when the Kiwis slipped to 60-3 as Umar Gul, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Abdul Razzaq found plenty of bounce.

It would have been even worse for the Kiwis had keeper Kamran Akmal's shy at the stumps been on target to run out Styris after a rare moment of indecision with Fleming, and the duo eventually put on 108.

After that scare, left-hander Fleming - setting a new one-day international record by leading the Black Caps for the 194th time - steered his side towards a respectable score with his 45th ODI fifty before he was caught and bowled by Malik.

Styris, clearly in pain from a back problem which later prevented him from fielding, soon called for Lou Vincent as a runner as Younis Khan tried to stifle the recovery with spin from both ends.

Jacob Oram lifted Malik for a huge straight six and added 52 for the fifth wicket with Styris before Oram skied a slower Razzaq delivery to Gul at third man for a rapid 31 off 26 balls.

Brendon McCullum then joined in the fun, clubbing 27 off only 13 balls to leave Pakistan needing the best score of the main group stage.

That looked unlikely when Imran Farhat skied Bond to third man and Younis was caught at gully.

Mohammad Hafeez and Yousuf led a brief rally before the former fell to a good diving catch by keeper McCullum off Oram, and dangerman Shahid Afridi was pouched by Bond to leave Pakistan in trouble.

But Yousuf and Malik settled in well as the evening dew began to affect the ball until Fleming returned to Bond with 99 needed off 14 overs.

The third ball of his third spell saw Yousuf drive to the skipper at cover and Bond grabbed his third wicket when Razzaq holed out to James Franklin.

When Malik lofted the ball to Nathan Astle off the last ball of Daniel Vettori's spell the writing was on the wall and Naved, Gul and Akmal soon followed.