Tim Seifert's 84 not out trumped an unbeaten 99 by Mohammad Hafeez as New Zealand claimed the second Twenty20 International against Pakistan by nine wickets here on Sunday to take the series with a game to spare.
The Black Caps chased down Pakistan's 163 for six with four balls to spare, after winning the first game in Auckland by five wickets.
Kane Williamson, back in the side after paternity leave, hit the winning runs with a boundary to be not out 57 but said the game was all about the bowling of Man-of-the-Match Tim Southee and the batting of Seifert and Hafeez.
Seifert faced 63 balls for his 84, while Hafeez was in destructive form, plundering 99 off 57. Southee restricted the remaining Pakistan batsmen with four for 21.
Opener Seifert batted through the innings and although denied a century because of the quality of his partners, he did match his career-best 84 against India last year. He put on 35 for the first wicket with Martin Guptill, who was out for 21, and shared in a 129-run stand with Williamson.
The 40-year-old Hafeez, out first ball in Auckland, was almost on his own for Pakistan with a career-best 99 which included 10 fours and five sixes. It was his fourth half-century from six innings in the past year.
The scores: Pakistan 163/6 in 20 overs (Mohd. Hafeez 99 n.o.; Tim Southee 4/21) lost to New Zealand 164/1 in 19.2 overs (Tim Seifert 84 n.o., Kane Williamson 57 n.o.).
Toss: Pakistan; MoM: Southee; New Zealand won the match by eight wickets with four balls to spare and leads three-match series 2-0.
