New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming could be forgiven had he exclaimed, like Macbeth: "I have supped full with horrors," at the end of his team's one-day series against Pakistan. From beginning to end, it was a tale of unmitigated suffering for his once-exuberant team, who were routed mercilessly by a home side that seemed able to concoct victory with eerie and awe-inspiring ease.

Beating Pakistan on their home ground was always going to be a tough ask for the tourists, severely handicapped by the absence of star players like Chris Cairns, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori and Nathan Astle, who returned home after the first ODI with increasing discomfort in his injured left knee. To their credit, however, they rebounded well from the demoralising 153-run loss in the opener at Karachi.

Shoaib Akhtar Photo © CricInfo

That encounter had seen a rampant Shoaib Akhtar, bowling at his fiercest, leave a trail of destruction with figures of 6-16 from nine searing overs. His thunderbolts and the massive defeat did little to ease New Zealand tummies, already upset after a visit to a Japanese restaurant ahead of the match.

But three days later, with their captain back in the saddle and with Craig McMillan in sparkling form, they seemed a transformed side, setting Pakistan a mammoth 278 to win the second one-dayer at Rawalpindi. The exhilarating Pakistan chase that followed must have been what knocked the stuffing out of New Zealand.

Despite losing Imran Nazir and first match centurion Yousuf Youhana with just six runs on the board, the home team, powered by a fresh pair of heroes in Younis Khan and Abdur Razzaq, cantered to a relatively easy win with 17 balls and three wickets to spare. It was the kind of victory that grinds down opponents and makes them believe that even their best is no good.

Shoaib Malik Photo © CricInfo

The third Pakistan win was almost entirely fashioned by Shoaib Malik in his only game of the series. Malik made a cultured 115 as an opener before claiming three wickets with his off-spinners. His star turn emphasised the gulf between the two sides; the home team seemed to have an almost inexhaustible reservoir of match-winners, unlike the tourists who seemed hard-pressed to find any.

In the batting department, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan and Abdur Razzaq all made sterling contributions. This ensured that Pakistan, despite the relative failure of star batsman Inzamam-ul Haq (79 runs in three innings at 26.3), managed to tot up more than 275 in each innings. True, the New Zealand attack was usually pedestrian, but for a batting side that has been blamed for its inconsistency it was a refreshing performance from Pakistan.

Yousuf Youhana Photo © CricInfo

The home team's bowling too, with the trio of captain Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar united again, performed admirably. Akhtar's demonic burst in the first match apart, the sight of the two Ws, both wily as ever, opening the attack in two of the three matches must have brought cheer to all Pakistan fans.

The series whitewash means that Pakistan have now defeated New Zealand in their last seven encounters. They have also won 23 of their last 30 ODIs against all comers, an amazing record for a side that has been panned for its inconsistency.

New Zealand had little going their way. Their attack, in particular, seemed lacklustre and Fleming will be spending long hours, trying to think up ways and means of improvement in the Test series.

Craig McMillan Photo © CricInfo

As far as the batting is concerned, the form of Craig McMillan must give his skipper some heart. Promoted to number three, McMillan made 143 runs in the final two ODIs, including 105 in the second game at Rawalpindi.

With the Test series fast approaching, Fleming will be hoping for similar hands from the rest of his batsmen to prevent yet another whitewash at the hands of Pakistan. Waqar Younis' team have always done well at home, the recent loss to Sri Lanka in the Asian Test championship final at Lahore notwithstanding. As New Zealand continue to struggle with injuries, Pakistan remain overwhelming favourites to claim the Test series too.

© CricInfo Limited