Batting first, New Zealand got a good start but first a rain-interruption and then Gul’s devastating spell left them gasping for breath. Ross Taylor topscored for the Kiwis with an unbeaten 37 but New Zealand could only manage 143 for eight in their allotted 20 overs.

Chasing a modest target, Pakistan got off to a flying start with openers Imran Nazir and Mohammad Hafeez stitching together a 60-run opening stand in just seven overs, which laid the foundation for a facile win.

After restricting the Kiwis to a modest total, Pakistan looked in a hurry to wrap up the chase and opener Mohammad Hafeez dropped the hint when he hit Shane Bond for a four in the first delivery of the innings.

Imran Nazir (59, 41b, 3x4, 5x6) made his intention clear too, hitting Mark Gillespie for three boundaries in the next over. The duo then started dealing in sixes with Bond, Vettori and Gillespie at the receiving end of their fury.
The partnership was broken by Scott Styris, who did the trick with his first delivery that rapped Hafeez on his pad and Pakistan lost their first wicket at 60 in 7.1 overs.

Jeetan Patel eventually removed Nazir by trapping him leg before and in the next over, Vettori had Younis Khan (4) stumped but the irreparable damage was done by then. Bond cut short Shahid Afridi’s (6) stay but Shoaib Malik (26) and Misbah-ul Haq (16) guided the team to victory with seven balls to spare. Malik hit Jeetan Patel for a huge six over midwicket to score the winning runs.

Earlier, Umar Gul’s three for 15, following a rain interruption, wrecked the Kiwi middle order and the New Zealanders, going great guns at 50 for no loss, slumped to 126 for eight.

Score board
NEW ZEALAND

Vincent c&b Alam 28
McCullum lbw Afridi 26
Styris c Tanvir b Gul 18
Fulton c Malik b Gul 10
Taylor (not out) 37
McMillan c Younis b Alam 12
Oram c Akmal b Gul 1
Vettori (run out) 0
Bond (run out) 5
Patel (not out) 0

Extras (LB-1, W-3, NB-2) 6

Total (eight wickets, 20 overs) 143

Fall of wickets:1-50, 2-74, 3-85, 4-87, 5-104, 6-106, 7-107, 8-126.

Bowling: Asif 4-0-34-0, Sohail Tanvir 4-0-30-0, Shahid Afridi 4-0-24-1, Alam 3-0-29-2, Gul 4-0-15-3, Mohammad Hafeez 1-0-10-0.

PAKISTAN
Hafeez lbw Styris 32
Nazir lbw Patel 59
Younis c McCullum b Vettori 4
Malik (not out) 26
Afridi c Fulton b Bond 6
Misbah (not out) 16

Extras (LB-2, W-2) 4

Total (4 wickets, 18.5 overs) 147

Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-96, 3-104, 4-111.

Bowling: Bond 4-0-33-1, Mark Gillespie 3-0-30-0, Daniel Vettori 4-0-22-1, Styris 3-0-14-1, Jeetan Patel 3.5-0-31-1, Jacob Oram 1-0-15-0.