Innings: New Zealand 271 for 7 (Guptill 100, Taylor 59, Raees 3-67) v Pakistan
WATCH - Guptill's steady ton
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill picked up his 13th ODI century after New Zealand were put in by Pakistan
Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor put on a 112-run partnership to guide New Zealand through the middle overs and steer them to 271 on a tricky surface in Wellington. Guptill scored a hundred - the thirteenth of his ODI career, while Taylor recorded his 58th 50-plus score, surpassing the record for a New Zealand batsman.
Run-scoring through the middle overs was harder work than it had seemed in the first ODI at the Basin Reserve, but that could at least partially be put down to a solid bowling performance by Pakistan, complemented by their best day in the field this series. A late implosion from New Zealand, combined by fabulous end-overs bowling, meant the innings fell away after flattering to deceive for most of the first 40 overs.
For a series involving Pakistan, it has been surprisingly predictable in some respects. To nobody's surprise, New Zealand, batting first, set about taking advantage of the opening Powerplay. As usual, it was Munro doing the early damage, complemented by the occasional destructively elegant shot from Guptill - a straight six off Rumman Raees the pick of the bunch.
Aamer Yamin bore the brunt of the aggression but neither opening bowler was spared the heat as New Zealand brought up fifty inside six overs.
Munro perished as he had thrived, top-edging Raees while looking to slog across the line, but the platform had been set. Kane Williamson and Guptill built on it, the early onslaught giving them the space and time to construct the partnership at their own pace. Pakistan began to come back into the contest, too, with Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz bowling a consistent line and choking the batsmen of runs.
It might have accounted for the second wicket. With the partnership on 49, the New Zealand captain lifted Yamin into the leg side, looking to clear deep midwicket. Umar Amin took the catch to dismiss Williamson in the strangest of ways.
Pakistan took control through the middle overs, the bowlers varying their pace and length adeptly as Taylor and Guptill struggled for timing. The ground fielding improved too, as New Zealand were starved of the singles they usually take for granted, and the asking rate dipped below five at the 30-over mark. However, what Pakistan didn't manage was more wickets, and with the duo getting their eye in, New Zealand were gearing up for a big finish.
It didn't quite materialise that way as they fell within a few overs of each other. Colin de Grandhomme couldn't get going with the fluency with which he had devastated Pakistan in Hamilton. Other wickets fell as Pakistan began to strangle the New Zealand middle and lower order; Henry Nicholls was caught in the deep trying to get Raees away, while Faheem Ashraf got rid of Tom Latham attempting a scoop shot. The innings turned sloppy - Mitchell Santner was run out off the first ball he faced, and a total that had looked to push past 300 fizzled out.