Sarfraz Ahmed, opening for the first time in a Twenty20 international, made a career-best 76 not out to help Pakistan to a comfortable seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the first of their two T20 matches in Dubai on Thursday.
Ahmed put on 51 with Awais Zia for the first wicket, and an unbroken 43 with Umar Akmal for the fourth wicket, to take Pakistan past their target of 136 with five balls remaining.
New Zealand had two good partnerships in the middle part of their innings, thanks in no small part to a career-best, 37-ball 48 by Corey Anderson, but struggled either side of them.
Akmal ended the contest with a straight six off James Neesham to put his side in pole position ahead of the second Twenty20 on Friday, also to be played in Dubai.
Giuseppe Labellarte
