Ahmed Shehzad’s sixth format century helped Pakistan hammer New Zealand by 147 runs in Sharjah and move 2-1 ahead in the five-match one-day international series.
The opening batsman laid the platform with 113 before Shahid Afridi’s explosive 26-ball 55 lifted the designated hosts to a mammoth 364 for seven, their third-highest total in 50-over cricket.
Afridi then took 3-37 with the ball as the Black Caps could only muster 217 inside 39 overs.
After Afridi won the toss, Shehzad shared in impressive stands of 63, 70 and 77 with Mohammad Hafeez, Younus Khan and Asad Shafiq respectively.
The 23-year-old, who hit 12 fours and a brace of sixes, and Shafiq were dismissed in successive balls from Matt Henry, celebrating his 23rd birthday, with 210 on the board in the 38th over, leaving Afridi to take up the mantle.
The skipper promoted himself to number five and put the New Zealand bowlers to the sword with half-a-dozen fours and a trio of maximums in a brutal assault.
12 - Shahid Afridi has been responsible for 12 of the 67 ODI scores of 50+ at a S/R of 200+ (next most: five). Boom. pic.twitter.com/xa9nnkSg0i
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) December 15, 2014
He received sound support from Sohail, the partnership bringing 89 runs from just 46 balls, and despite the pair departing in the space of two overs, Sarfraz Ahmed’s 14-ball unbeaten 30 ensured Pakistan took 125 from the final 10 overs.
They carried that momentum into their bowling as Mohammad Irfan reduced the tourists to 21 for two with the wickets of Anton Devcich and Martin Guptill.
Afridi ended a 45-run stand between Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson by bowling the former with a slider.
And New Zealand’s realistic hopes of a second successive triumph ended when captain Williamson was caught and bowled by Sohail for 45.
The left-arm spinner, with 3-45, then followed up wickets from Shehzad and Wahab Riaz by having both Jimmy Neesham and Nathan McCullum, playing instead of veteran Daniel Vettori, caught playing expansive shots.
It was fitting that Afridi had the final say, wrapping up the innings by bowling Henry and Luke Ronchi, the latter after providing some lower-order resistance with 41.