Abu Dhabi
New Zealand 211 (B B McCullum 76, Saeed Ajmal 4-33) v Pakistan 204 (Mohammad Aamer 73 no)
New Zealand beat Pakistan by 7 runs
The pair combined in the middle with Pakistan in total disarray on 101-9 before taking their team within eight runs of the 212 they required for victory.
Aamer struck a career-best 73 not out and Ajmal made 33 before Jacob Oram (3-20) clinched victory for the Kiwis by dismissing the latter at the start of the final over.
New Zealand had earlier collapsed from 138-2 to 211 all out following a swashbuckling 76 from opener Brendon McCullum.
Reprieve
The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed six fours and three sixes in his 78-ball knock before watching his team-mates subside to a mediocre total.
Pakistan received an early reprieve in their chase when opener Khalid Latif was dropped behind the stumps by McCullum off Kyle Mills when on nought.
The opener then drove the same bowler for three consecutive boundaries in his second over before taking his side on to 47-0 in partnership with Salman Butt (25).
Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori was forced to bring himself on in the ninth over - a move which brought immediate reward when he trapped Latif lbw for 19.
From there on Pakistan completely capitulated, Butt and captain Younus Khan departing in successive balls as the ICC World Twenty20 champions crashed from 47-0 to 86-8.
Emphatic
Shoaib Malik fell attempting to pull Mills, while Umar Akmal and the explosive Shahid Afridi both edged through to McCullum.
When Abdul Razzaq was run out, Pakistan had lost their last recognised batsman with 126 still required.
Umar Gul and Aamer then defied New Zealand's bowlers with a painstaking partnership that lasted 60 balls but contributed only 15 runs.
However, a sensational 103-run stand from Aamer and Ajaml - the second highest ODI tenth-wicket partnership of all time - brought Pakistan to the brink of the most unlikely of victories.
Aamer blazed seven fours and three sixes - all of which came during one Vettori over - as he emphatically surpassed his previous best effort of 24 not out.
But, with eight runs required off the final over, Oram struck off the first ball, removing Ajmal to clinch a thrilling series win for New Zealand.
