PAKISTAN beat New Zealand by 18 runs today to win the T20 international series 2-1 and claim top spot in the Twenty20 rankings from their opponents.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Pakistan posted a total of 181 for six from their 20 overs at Mount Maunganui, with opener Fakhar Zaman top-scoring with 46 from 36 balls.

And although wickets fell at regular intervals, the visitors continued to score at a good rate, with Sarfraz Ahmed making 29 from 21 balls and Umar Amin smashing three sixes in his 21 from just seven deliveries.

In reply, openers Martin Guptill and captain Kane Williamson got the Black Caps off to a solid start before Williamson fell in the sixth over, with Guptill going on to make 59 from 43 balls with the aid of four sixes.

Ross Taylor also recorded three maximums in a quickfire 25, but Pakistan’s bowlers did an excellent job of restricting the hosts to 163 for six, with Shadab Kahn finishing with figures of two for 19.