No result Pakistan 227 all out (50 overs: Razzaq 59, Misbah-ul-Haq 50, Gillespie 5-70), Australia 67 for 1 (9.3 overs)
scorecard

The final of the tri-series at Nairobi turned out to be a damp squib when heavy showers forced the match to be abandoned. Australia had motored along to 67 for 1 in reply to Pakistan's 227 when the second rain delay turned out to be the final one. The first rain break, after 6.1 overs, had left Australia chasing a revised target of 210 in 42 overs. Australia would have fancied their chances of achieving the asking rate of 4.4 runs an over, but rain robbed them of victory in a tournament they dominated.

Earlier, an awesome display of power hitting by Abdul Razzaq powered Pakistan to a competitive total. Razzaq slammed 59 from a mere 43 balls, with five fours and three sixes, as Pakistan amassed 69 from the last six overs. Jason Gillespie suffered the most, going for 70 from his 10 overs, but also finished with five wickets, including two from the last two balls of the innings.

Razzaq came in to bat in the 36th over, with Pakistan struggling at 116 for 5. It soon became 158 for 6 in the 44th, but that's when Razzaq swung into action, and suddenly Pakistan were rattling along. Gillespie came in special treatment, going for 24 runs in the 48th over of the innings, but Razzaq didn't spare Glenn McGrath either, swinging him high over midwicket for a rousing six in the next over. Razzaq was finally run-out in the last over, frustrated by Wasim Akram's inability to get bat to ball. By then, Razzaq had done enough to ensure that Pakistan's bowlers had a competitive total to defend.

A score of 200 had seemed the best Pakistan could hope for after Australia choked them with their usual efficiency in the early overs. Pakistan's openers began with a flourish after Waqar Younis won the toss – Shahid Afridi deposited the second ball from McGrath over the square-leg boundary, while Saeed Anwar collected consecutive fours off the first two balls from Gillespie – but the bowlers soon found their rhythm.

Afridi heaved at a widish one from McGrath and was well caught at first slip by Shane Warne for 6 (15 for 1), and then Gillespie struck twice in the 10th over to put Australia on top. First, he had Anwar caught behind for 28 (37 for 2), and three balls later, trapped Inzamam-ul-Haq in front for a duck, though replays indicated the batsman had got a faint inside edge.

Shoaib Malik laboured for 94 balls in making 37, before Ricky Ponting's direct throw from point ended his misery, and allowed Razzaq to stamp his presence on the match. By the time he was done, the smug smile had vanished from Ponting's face. Misbah-ul-Haq played his part well too, getting his second half-century of the tournament. It was enough to make him Pakistan's Player of the Series.

Australia lost Adam Gilchrist early, bowled through the gate by Akram for a duck off the third ball of the innings, but Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting made light of that loss. Hayden, in sparkling form throughout the series, raced to 20 off just 24 balls, and was later named Player of the Series for Australia. With Ponting in good touch too, Australia were threatening to run away with the match, when the weather intervened.

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