NELSON: Martin Guptill belted New Zealand to an eight-wicket win overPakistan in a rain-shortened second one-day international in Nelson onTuesday.
Guptill blasted 55 off 31 balls after the rain break to be unbeaten on 86as New Zealand reached their revised target of 151 in 25 overs with sevenballs to spare.
Pakistan, boosted by a late run charge from Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan, made246 for nine in their 50 overs and New Zealand were 64 for two after 14overs in reply when the rain set in.
Under the Duckworth-Lewis revision, New Zealand had 11 overs to make afurther 87 runs when play resumed.
Guptill’s whirlwind knock included five fours and five sixes while RossTaylor, keen to yield the strike in their 104-run stand, had only fourboundaries in his 45 off 43 deliveries.
Pakistan did have early success with the ball, removing Colin Munro in thefirst over without scoring and Kane Williamson for 19 to have New Zealandat two for 47 in the 10th over.
But the Pakistan bowlers were not allowed to settle when the weathercleared as Guptill and Taylor pounded the boundaries.
After Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat they recovered from an earlycollapse they recovered to reach 246 on the back of half-centuries byMohammad Hafeez (60), Shadab Khan (52) and Hasan Ali (51).
Mohammad Hafeez held the first half of the innings together while Hasan andShadab mounted a late rescue mission when Pakistan were 141 for seven.
The pair featured in a 70-run partnership off 49 deliveries for the eighthwicket which included 21 off one over by Todd Astle.
Imam-ul-Haq, in for the injured Fakhar Zaman, was out for two in the fourthover and Azhar Ali followed five balls later for six.
Lochie Ferguson reduced Pakistan to 39 for three when he entered the attackin the 11th over and immediately had Babar Azam (10) edging a ball to RossTaylor at first slip.
Shoaib Malik, frustrated at being pinned down by Todd Astle, tried to hitthe legspinner out of the park only to be caught at long on for 27.
Sarfraz Ahmed was stumped on three when he went down the wicket to Astleand Hafeez lost his wicket dancing down the pitch to Mitchell Santner.
The left-arm spinner picked the move and sent down a short, wide deliverywhich Hafeez hit to Martin Guptill at short cover.
Shadab Khan and Hasan stepped up, cracking 21 off an Astle over as theyupped the tempo, however, the damage was done by that time.
Lochie Ferguson was New Zealand’s chief wicket-taker with three for 39.
New Zealand now leads the five-match series 2-0 with game three in Dunedinon Saturday.