Umar Akmal's smashing six, Williamson's nifty adjustment

Pakistan had largely targeted the short, eastern boundary at Seddon Park, until in the 16th over, Umar Akmal broke the trend, and possibly, a car windshield. Akmal picked the slower ball from Grant Elliott, crouched low on his front foot, and slammed the ball high over cow corner, for a towering 103-metre six that saw the ball bouncing around on Seddon Road.

Shahid Afridi had hit 23 from 8 balls in the first T20, then in Hamilton produced another innings that was at once bizarre, brief and explosive. He got a hittable low full toss first ball, but did nothing more than steer this one to point. Next ball, he cleared his front leg and walloped a sharp Adam Milne length ball high over long-off. Then, attempting to repeat the stroke, Afridi holed out to mid-off next ball. His contribution was seven from three balls, with one six.

The adjustment
Kane Williamson was aggressive against Imad Wasim, who had kept New Zealand quiet in the early overs at Eden Park, from the outset. Having gone back to cut Wasim for four first ball, Williamson came out of his crease for the second, but the bowler had seen him advancing. Wasim fired a flat, quicker ball wide of Williamson, but the batsman was good enough to adjust. He simply stopped mid-pitch, leant over and slapped it through a tight off-side field for another boundary.

As if to show the wheels were coming off Pakistan's defence of 168, Wahab Riaz delivered the worst ball of the day in the 17th over. A heavy defeat was all but assured for Pakistan, with New Zealand on 159 for 0. Wahab steamed in and flung one way down the offside, the ball passing through where a wide slip might have stood.