Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez shone for Pakistan but received little support as New Zealand were set a 291-run target in the deciding one-day international in Auckland today.
With the pair at the crease, Pakistan were set to threaten the Eden Park ODI innings record of 340, but with their departure the innings collapsed and they were unable to bat out their 50 overs.
Pakistan, who need to win to tie the series, were all out for 290 with 15 balls remaining with Babar contributing a career-best 83 and Hafeez 76.
The tourists were 20-2 in the sixth over when the pair embarked on a 134-run partnership for the third wicket, in which they lifted the run rate to 6.81 by the time Hafeez was dismissed with 27 overs remaining.
Shoaib Malik joined Babar and the run rate continued to rise to 6.90, but when New Zealand's leading strike bowlers Trent Boult and Matt Henry combined to remove Malik and Babar, Pakistan's lack of depth was exposed. Their last six wickets fell for 63 runs.
Martin Guptill, who was in doubt on the eve of the match because of a twisted ankle, was instrumental in the first two wickets that fell.
Fielding at short midwicket, he took a smart catch low down to give Boult the wicket of Ahmed Shehzad for 12.
Two balls later, fielding at slip to Henry, he caught Azhar Ali for three and Pakistan were quickly two down after winning the toss and electing to bat.
The wickets dried up as Babar and Hafeez wrested control away from the bowlers, forcing New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum into quick bowler rotation to try to unsettle the pair.
Hafeez eventually fell to Mitchell Santner, caught by Adam Milne at deep backward square leg, for 76 which included five fours and five sixes.
It was a satisfying wicket for Santner in his third over after his first two cost 23 runs.
Malik maintained the onslaught with Babar, adding a rapid 32 off 27 until he was caught behind to give Boult his second wicket.
Babar, whose 83 off 77 contained 10 fours and a six, was removed two overs later when he slashed a Henry delivery to the safe hands of Guptill at point.
Mohammad Rizwan tried to keep the innings alive with 16 before he was unlucky to be run out off a straight drive, which deflected off bowler Grant Elliott's hand and on to the stumps before he could regain his crease.
For New Zealand, Milne took three for 49 while Boult and Henry finished with two apiece.
