The former New Zealand captain Dan Vettori has seemingly played his last test for the Black Caps but is shying away from publicy annoucing his test retirement.
Vettori became the most capped New Zealand test player when he played his 112th test in the innings and 80 run win over Pakistan in the third and final test in Sharjah.
The victory meant the Black Caps drew the three test series, giving them just their third win over Pakistan outside of New Zealand but there have been muted celebrations given the match was played against the back drop of the death of Australian batsman Phil Hughes.
It was the 35-year-old Vettori's first test more than two years and he was included on a one off basis with next year's one day World Cup expected to be his international swansong.
"It doesn't feel appropriate to make big statements so I think I'll just sit back and enjoy the test match as much as I can.
"It's been amazing to come back into the group and the performance of the guys is something that I will treasure forever but it's tinged with some sadness about Phil's passing so it's more appropriate to enjoy the test match (win) and commemorate Phil's life in that way," he said.
Daniel Vettori is applauded onto the Sharjah oval by the Black Caps Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum admits their victory over Pakistan in the third and final test in Sharjah was played in tough circumstances.
The Black Caps win over Pakistan in Sharjah is just the third time they've beaten the hosts in a test outside of New Zealand. Photo: Photosport
The tourists scored an emphatic victory over Pakistan by an innings and 80 runs to level the series at 1-all.
McCullum was referring to the death last week of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes.
The Black Caps bowled Pakistan out for 259 in their second innings and the skipper says the way they approached the game worked in their favour.
"I guess going out and playing with no inhibitions whatsoever just going out and trying to enjoy cricket as much as we could gave us a real good chance in this test. And in the end I guess being able to bat as long as we did meant that the wicket was worn by the time we had a second opportunity with the ball and I thought we bowled outstanding today and we played a really good test match considering we were so far behind after day one so I'm really proud of the guys. And we stuck together both on the field and off it as well during this tough situation and just really pleased with how everything worked out in this game for us."
Trent Boult took 4 wickets in their second innings, while Mark Craig took 10 wickets in the match.
Blackcaps celebrate winning the third test against Pakistan in Sharjah. 30 November 2014 Photo: Photosport
Earlier in the morning, New Zealand's first innings closed on 690 with Craig making 65 and becoming the sixth batsman to score at least a half-century in the innings.
The visitors hit 22 sixes in total, another record for the most number of maximums in a test innings.
On a docile pitch at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium where New Zealand posted their highest total in tests, the 25-year-old Boult extracted enough movement and pace to rattle the Pakistan top order.
Boult dismissed Shan Masood (4) in the third over, bowled Azhar Ali (6) with the last delivery of his fourth and then returned to dismiss Younus Khan for a duck leg before with the first ball of his next over.
Off-spinner Craig continued to punish Pakistan by dismissing opener Mohammad Hafeez and captain Misbah-ul-Haq.
Asad Shafiq staged a lone battle for Pakistan and completed his fifth test hundred with an aggressive 137 off 148 balls but ran out of partners in the end.
