JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Shoaib Malik and Misbah ul-Haq shared a record partnership to lead Pakistan to a memorable victory over Australia in their Twenty20 World Cup Super Eights match yesterday.

Captain Shoaib, who shared a fourth-wicket stand of 101 with Younis Khan in Pakistan's win over Sri Lanka on Monday, bettered that record in Twenty20 internationals with Misbah in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 119.

That carried Pakistan to 165 for four and victory by six wickets with five balls to spare.

Meanwhile England lost by five runs to New Zealand, while Sri Lanka cruised to victory against Bangladesh.

Australia, who had trounced Bangladesh by nine wickets in their opening Super Eights clash on Sunday, had looked on course for victory when seamer Stuart Clark claimed three quick wickets to help reduce Pakistan to 46 for four.

However, the rest of the Australian bowling was ineffective as Shoaib and Misbah turned the match round to secure a rousing win.

Shoaib came in at the fall of the third wicket but it was 23-year-old Misbah who reached his half-century first, off 35 balls. Misbah finished on 66 not out with seven fours and a six.

Shoaib was content to play second fiddle to his big-hitting partner and ended with 52 not out off 38 deliveries.

"My performance speaks for itself and proves those critics of my selection wrong," Misbah told reporters after Pakistan clinched a place in the semi-finals. "We have had great players in the middle order like Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Younis Khan but I definitely now have a chance to cement my place. I can't compare myself to those great players but I will try to perform like them."

Clark was the best of the Australian bowlers, taking three for 27 in his four overs, but he lacked support as Australia failed to capture wickets when the run-chase was on.

Earlier, Michael Hussey and Brad Hodge had shared a fifth-wicket stand of 63 in 40 balls to help hoist Australia to 164 for seven after excellent Pakistan bowling, spearheaded by Sohail Tanveer, had largely kept the run rate down.

Craig McMillan said New Zealand's lengthy batting order was the key to their five-run win over England in a Twenty20 World Cup match in Durban.

"We've got power all the way down, so even when we're 31 for four as we were today we still have Scott Styris, Jacob Oram and myself who can clear the boundary." McMillan, top scorer with 57, told a news conference. "Only one of us needs to come off for us to form a good partnership and get a score."

Styris and McMillan shared 60 for the fifth wicket to help steer New Zealand, who had slumped to 31 for four, to a total of 164 for nine.

England were restricted to 159 for eight in reply.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said his team's dismissal of England big hitters Kevin Pietersen (24) and Andrew Flintoff (1) in the 19th over was crucial.

England captain Paul Collingwood had praise for Styris (42) and McMillan.

"They got momentum in the middle part of their innings," Collingwood said. "Styris and McMillan came in and played really well, it was difficult to stop them."

Batsman Vikram Solanki kept wicket for England after Matt Prior broke a thumb during a training session on Monday.

Sri Lanka restricted Bangladesh to 83 all out to win their Twenty20 World Cup Super Eights match by 64 runs in Johannesburg.