After winning the toss, Pakistan decided to bat, fielding the same team that had outclassed Australia a few days before.
However, it was New Zealand who got off to the better start, with two quick wickets in the opening overs. First to fall was Babar Azam, caught behind by Tim Seifert off the bowling of Adam Milne for 7. 5 balls later it was the turn of his opening partner, Sahibzada Farhan to depart, caught by Colin Munro for just a single off Ajaz Patel.
However, Mohammad Hafeez and Asif Ali brought their side back into contention with a third wicket stand of 67, scoring at more than 8 an over, their partnership finally being broken when Tim Southee took a brilliant catch at point off the bowling of Milne to dismiss Hafeez for 45. He had hit 2 sixes and 5 fours. Ali then look to continue the attack with his captain Sarfraz Ahmed, but then he too, was dismissed, hitting Colin de Grandhomme straight to the fielder standing at square leg for 24.
Sarfraz them added 28 for the 5th wicket with Shoaib Malik, but was out for 34, caught at long on by Corey Anderson, off Ish Sodhi for 34, which included a six and three fours. Malik was run out two balls later for 8, but then the seventh wicket pair of Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim were able to add a later 25 runs off the last two overs, with each hitting a six. Faheem was undefeated on 10 and Wasim on 14, as Pakistan closed on 148 – 6.
New Zealand got off to an excellent start in their reply with their opening pair of Colin Munro and Glenn Phillips scoring 50 off the first 6 overs. Phillips then was bowled by Hasan Ali for 12, but Munro was striking some lusty blows, hitting 58 off just 42 balls, before he was eventually caught by Asif Ali at long on off the bowling of Shadab Khan. He departed having struck 3 sixes and 6 fours.
With his loss, New Zealand began to struggle a little. Captain Kane Williamson was caught and bowled by Wasim for 11, and then Shadab ran out de Grandhomme for 6. Ross Taylor and Anderson tried to keep their side in the contest with a stand of 34, but then Anderson was caught in the deep by Shoaib Malik for 9 off the bowling of Hasan to swing the contest back Pakistan’s way. They then tightened their grip when Hasan bowled Seiffert for a duck.
Despite that Ross Taylor pushed them close with an undefeated 42, off just 26 balls, aided by Southee at the end. Unfortunately, then could not turn fours into sixes, and that, in the end, as just enough to give Pakistan a narrow win.
Mohammad Hafeez was named man of the match.