Misbah-ul-Haq's supremely paced innings and Sohail Tanvir's nerveless hitting took Pakistan to a tense win in Napier that puts them 2-1 up in six match ODI series. New Zealand had earlier showed the benefits of stacking their side with allrounders as they recovered from an all-too-familiar top-order collapse to post a respectable total but it didn't prove enough. On a pancake-flat track and with McLean Park's short boundaries and a quick outfield to assist them, Pakistan looked to be gliding towards victory when Misbah and Younis Khan played safety-first cricket to take them to 173 for 3 in 37 overs. With the batting powerplay in hand, two set batsmen at the crease and a host of heavy-hitters to follow, New Zealand seemed down and out. The first blip was the run-out of Younis who slipped when attempting to make his ground after tipping the ball to point. The new batsman, Umar Akmal, meandered to 10 when the powerplay was taken. As has the case in recent matches, the Powerplay resulted in immediate wickets: Umar holed out to extra cover and Shahid Afridi was trapped in front. With Pakistan at198 for 6, New Zealand were back in it. The match swung again in the next over as Abdul Razzaq clubbed a mighty six, and Misbah calmly picked off two effortless, wristy boundaries as Tim Southee went for 17. New Zealand clawed back again when Hamish Bennett had Razzaq skying a catch to Vettori in the 47th over. Twenty-four needed off the final three overs - enough time for more twists. Misbah, yet again, seemed to have sealed it when he slammed Scott Styris beyond midwicket on the first ball of the 48th, and then followed it up with a punch past mid-on for four. No. 10 Wahab Riaz then decided to go for glory instead of turning over the strike to Misbah, and his swipe ballooned to the keeper. Two wickets remained, and there was a genuine threat of Pakistan being bowled out. Tanvir then showed that though his bowling isn't at the level it was before his back injury, his hitting retains the ferocity of old. He forehanded three fours in the penultimate over from Southee to sew up the victory with six balls remaining. Tanvir may applied the finishing touches but it was Misbah who had done the grunt work earlier on.