Aamir Qureshi—AFP
Sarfraz Ahmed scored a career best 76 runs to help Pakistan achieve a target of 136 runs.
Pakistan beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the first of two Twenty20 internationals in Dubai on Thursday.
Put into bat first, New Zealand scored 135-7 by a career best 48 from Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi’s 33 and Martin Guptill (32) after they were reduced to 15-3. Anderson hit four sixes and a boundary off 37 balls and added 51 for the fifth wicket with Ronchi.
Pakistan cruised to the target in 19.1 overs with Sarfraz Ahmed smashing a career best 76-not out for his maiden half-century in Twenty20 cricket. The second match will also be played in Dubai on Friday.