Blackcaps captain Kane Williamson has faced the ire of Pakistan's cricketing media, over the decision that saw his side abandon their tour of the nation last month.
The Blackcaps were scheduled to face Pakistan in Pakistan for the first time since 2003 last month, but were forced into abandoning the tour.
On the morning of the first one day international at Rawalpindi, the New Zealand Government received what it deemed a "credible threat" by its Five Eyes partners, leaving no other option, but to pull the team from Pakistan.
The backlash against the Blackcaps and New Zealand Cricket was swift, with Pakistan greats Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi slamming the team, and labelling the threat a "hoax". NZ Cricket social media posts are still flooded with Pakistan fans angry over the cancellation.
Talk of the cancelled tour naturally played a part in the build-up to Wednesday morning's clash, with Blackcaps coach Gary Stead confident there was no bad blood between the two sides.
Due to his Indian Premier League commitments with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Williamson wasn't part of the touring squad to travel to Pakistan, with the captaincy instead assumed by Tom Latham.
That didn't stop questions about the cancellation being directed his way, after New Zealand's five-wicket defeat to Pakistan at the Twenty20 World Cup - 40 days after the events took place.
"Talking about today's performance, do you think if you'd have played in Pakistan earlier, you'd have known the Pakistan team better and could have performed well today?" one journalist asked.
"Will you go for the PSL [Pakistan Super League], if there is any option for you in the coming season for the solidarity of cricket and the people of Pakistan?" asked another. "Because you told the decision was out of the hands of the players, not from the players."
To his credit, Williamson refused to bite and played everything with a characteristically straight bat.
Wednesday's victory saw Pakistan go to the top of group two of the T20 World Cup's Super 12 stage, after also crushing India by 10 wickets in their tournament opener.
Join us at 3am Monday for live updates of the Blackcaps v India T20 World Cup clash
