Hafeez scores his first century in 62 matches for tourists
Pakistan beat Pakistan by 43 runs in Christchurch to level the six-match one-day series against New Zealand at 1-1.
Opener Mohammad Hafeez scored his first century in 62 matches as Pakistan posted 293-7 after being asked to bat first on a green but slow pitch.
Hafeez anchored the innings with 115 from 144 balls, while captain Shahid Afridi smashed 65 from just 25 balls, an innings that included five sixes.
In reply, New Zealand could reach just 250-9, with Umar Gul taking 2-31 and Hafeez 1-25.
The Black Caps struggled to step up the run rate against some penetrating bowling from Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir and Wahab Riaz, who picked up two wickets a piece.
Scott Styris (46) and Kane Williams (42) tried to keep New Zealand in the hunt, but impressive spells from spinners Afridi (1-45) and Hafeez (1-25) checked the flow of runs.
Tim Southee gave New Zealand early success by picking up Ahmed Shehzad and Kamran Akmal early on, while Jacob Oram claimed Younus Khan to leave Pakistan in trouble on 56-3.
Opener Hafeez and Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq stemmed the fall of wickets and took Pakistan past 100 in 26 overs.
Kyle Mills gave New Zealand the breakthrough when Misbah (35 off 64 balls) holed out to mid-off, but the fourth-wicket stand had yielded 94 in 22.2 overs.
New batsman Umar Akmal joined Hafeez, who reached his three-figure mark soon after, and the Pakistan innings switched gears in the powerplay overs.
The duo took the team past 200 in 43rd over and added 52 off 45 balls before Hafeez, who hit 12 boundaries and two sixes in his innings, perished while trying to hit Mills over mid-on.
Assault
The stage was set for Afridi's assault, as the Pakistan captain moved to his 31st fifty in just 19 balls and equalled Brendon McCullum's record of fastest 50 scored in an ODI in New Zealand on his way to a 26-ball 69 stand with Umar Akmal, who fell to Hamish Bennett after a quickfire 44.
Bennett also ended Afridi's stay in his next over but by that time the captain had hit five sixes and five fours.
In reply, New Zealand blazed to 50 inside nine overs although they lost opener Jamie How (24 off 25 balls), to a slower ball by Tanvir.
Pakistan kept up the pressure as Gul claimed stand-in skipper Ross Taylor in his first over and Wahab Riaz ended Martin Guptill's (39 off 39 balls) knock, after Ahmed Shehzad took a fine catch at point to leave the Kiwis reeling on 80-3.
Styris and Williamson took the score past 100 in the 21st over, but the Kiwis managed just 24 in the eight overs after the fall of the third wicket.
With 133 runs needed off 112 balls, Styris tried to break the shackles by trying to hoist spinner Hafeez over mid-wicket but was snapped up brilliantly by Umar Akmal just inches inside the rope.
McCullum was dropped by Afridi, but the experienced batsman was run out by Umar Akmal soon after.
By then, Riaz had knocked over Williamson's stumps, leaving two new batsmen - Oram and Luke Woodcock - in the middle with the task of scoring 111 in 72 balls.
It was all over once Oram, who hit a massive six over long-on off Afridi, departed holing out in Tanvir's next over.
Game four of the series takes place in Napier on Tuesday.
Opener Mohammad Hafeez scored his first century in 62 matches as Pakistan posted 293-7 after being asked to bat first on a green but slow pitch.
Hafeez anchored the innings with 115 from 144 balls, while captain Shahid Afridi smashed 65 from just 25 balls, an innings that included five sixes.
In reply, New Zealand could reach just 250-9, with Umar Gul taking 2-31 and Hafeez 1-25.
The Black Caps struggled to step up the run rate against some penetrating bowling from Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir and Wahab Riaz, who picked up two wickets a piece.
Scott Styris (46) and Kane Williams (42) tried to keep New Zealand in the hunt, but impressive spells from spinners Afridi (1-45) and Hafeez (1-25) checked the flow of runs.
Tim Southee gave New Zealand early success by picking up Ahmed Shehzad and Kamran Akmal early on, while Jacob Oram claimed Younus Khan to leave Pakistan in trouble on 56-3.
Opener Hafeez and Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq stemmed the fall of wickets and took Pakistan past 100 in 26 overs.
Kyle Mills gave New Zealand the breakthrough when Misbah (35 off 64 balls) holed out to mid-off, but the fourth-wicket stand had yielded 94 in 22.2 overs.
New batsman Umar Akmal joined Hafeez, who reached his three-figure mark soon after, and the Pakistan innings switched gears in the powerplay overs.
The duo took the team past 200 in 43rd over and added 52 off 45 balls before Hafeez, who hit 12 boundaries and two sixes in his innings, perished while trying to hit Mills over mid-on.
Assault
The stage was set for Afridi's assault, as the Pakistan captain moved to his 31st fifty in just 19 balls and equalled Brendon McCullum's record of fastest 50 scored in an ODI in New Zealand on his way to a 26-ball 69 stand with Umar Akmal, who fell to Hamish Bennett after a quickfire 44.
Bennett also ended Afridi's stay in his next over but by that time the captain had hit five sixes and five fours.
In reply, New Zealand blazed to 50 inside nine overs although they lost opener Jamie How (24 off 25 balls), to a slower ball by Tanvir.
Pakistan kept up the pressure as Gul claimed stand-in skipper Ross Taylor in his first over and Wahab Riaz ended Martin Guptill's (39 off 39 balls) knock, after Ahmed Shehzad took a fine catch at point to leave the Kiwis reeling on 80-3.
Styris and Williamson took the score past 100 in the 21st over, but the Kiwis managed just 24 in the eight overs after the fall of the third wicket.
With 133 runs needed off 112 balls, Styris tried to break the shackles by trying to hoist spinner Hafeez over mid-wicket but was snapped up brilliantly by Umar Akmal just inches inside the rope.
McCullum was dropped by Afridi, but the experienced batsman was run out by Umar Akmal soon after.
By then, Riaz had knocked over Williamson's stumps, leaving two new batsmen - Oram and Luke Woodcock - in the middle with the task of scoring 111 in 72 balls.
It was all over once Oram, who hit a massive six over long-on off Afridi, departed holing out in Tanvir's next over.
Game four of the series takes place in Napier on Tuesday.

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