Dubai T20: Pakistan beats New Zealand by seven wickets

Wicketkeeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed played exceptionally well smashing a career best 76 not out for his maiden half-century in T20.. He hit 8 fours and 2 sixes.

Other handy contribution was made by Awais Zia (20) and Umar Akmal (27*).

Earlier, Corey Anderson hit his highest Twenty20 score of 48 to lead New Zealand to 135-7 in the first of two internationals against Pakistan.

Put into bat, New Zealand were led by Anderson, Luke Ronchi (33) and Martin Guptill (32) after losing their first three wickets for just 15 runs.

Anderson hit four sixes and a boundary off 37 balls and added 51 for the fifth wicket with Ronchi.

For Pakistan, left-arm pacemen Sohail Tanvir finished with 2-24 and Mohammad Irfan took 2-27.

The second Twenty20 international will also be played in Dubai on Friday.