PAKISTAN beat New Zealand by 18 runs today to win the T20 international series 2-1 and claim top spot in the Twenty20 rankings from their opponents.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Pakistan posted a total of 181 for six from their 20 overs at Mount Maunganui, with opener Fakhar Zaman top-scoring with 46 from 36 balls.

And although wickets fell at regular intervals, the visitors continued to score at a good rate, with Sarfraz Ahmed making 29 from 21 balls and Umar Amin smashing three sixes in his 21 from just seven deliveries.