After losing the first two matches in Auckland and Hamilton, Pakistan found form with a vengeance beating the BLACKCAPS by 103 runs in the third Twenty20 of the National Bank Series at AMI Stadium in Christchurch.
Their batsmen were in imperious form, caning the New Zealand bowling attack to all corners, making 183 for six off their 20 overs.
In reply, New Zealand haemorrhaged wickets right from the start and succumbed meekly in the 16th over, all out for 80.
The BLACKCAPS were behind the eight ball right from the start, the in-form Martin Guptill gone without scoring in the fourth ball of the innings after Abdul Razzaq found an outside edge and Ahmed Shehzad took the regulation catch at backward point.
The next three batsmen followed in quick succession, all without scoring, as Shehzad and Razzaq collected wickets almost at will.
James Franklin bucked the trend, making three before Razzaq destroyed his stumps and New Zealand were 11 for five in the fifth over.
Only Scott Styris emerged with any credit, his 45 from 34 balls including six fours and a six, and saving New Zealand from complete humiliation.
There was little consolation for the Black Caps in their bowling peformance, either, opened by young quick Adam Milne.
Although the 18-year-old topped the 150kmh mark on a couple of occasions, the Pakistan batsmen were untroubled, Shehzad slamming three consecutive fours as the visitors raced away to 28 without loss after three overs.
Kyle Mills and Tim Southee were treated with similar disdain, Mills faring somewhat better in going for 36 off his four overs while Southee was smacked for 53 after conceding 17 off his first six balls.
While Shehzad made the early running, Hafeez soon got in on the act, and by the end of the seventh over Pakistan were 76 without loss.
Franklin finally picked up the first wicket, four balls into the ninth over. Hafeez chased a wider delivery, but couldn't clear Ross Taylor at extra cover, who leapt high to pull down a superb catch and leave Pakistan at 81 for one.
Hafeez's 34 came from from 23 balls, including one beautifully struck six over deep midwicket.
Franklin secured his second wicket early in the 11th over, trapping Shehzad in front with a slower ball. Shehzad departed for 54 off 34 balls, including 10 fours.
Pakistan then tumbled from 90 for two to 106 for four, Younis Khan run out for five at the end of the 13th over in yet another Pakistani mix-up.
Sent back by Asad Shafiq, Khan was caught short by a direct hit from the diving McCullum.
Shafiq was gone himself five balls later then Southee picked up Shahid Afridi for 14 at the end of the 16th over, while Milne got his first international wicket when Dean Brownlie caught Umar Akmal on the boundary for 30 on the first ball of the last over.
However, Abdul Razzaq, with 34 from 11 balls, saw Pakistan home to set an spectacularly unbeatable 183.
NZPA
