The Blackcaps have held on to claim a thrilling one-run win in the third and final one-day international against Ireland on Saturday (NZ time).
Martin Guptill's electric 115 saw the visitors post a daunting total of 360/6, which the Irish - led by a blazing centuries by Paul Stirling and Harry Tector - chased fearlessly, only to ultimately fall agonisingly short at 359/9.
The win completes a 3-0 series sweep for the Blackcaps and consigned Ireland to another heart-breaking loss, after Michael Bracewell's whirlwind century helped the tourists escape in Monday's opening match.
Ireland would've felt confident heading into the final over needing 10 runs for victory against Blair Tickner, who has been the Blackcaps most expensive bowler on tour.
Tickner's first couple of balls yielded just one run, before Glenn Phillips - typically one of the Blackcaps' best fielders - dropped his third catch of the day, while also spilling the loose ball to the fence for four.
But a panicked Craig Young was run out the next delivery, leaving No. 11 Josh Little with four runs needed off the final two balls, which yielded just a single and a bye from Graham Hume off the final delivery.
With a total of 190 runs through the three contests, Bracewell was named player of the series, while Guptill's century saw him named Saturday's player of the match.
The veteran opener's innings included 15 fours and two sixes in a textbook display of straight hitting. He surpassed 100 with a six off a free hit, giving him his 18th ODI century - second only to recently retired great Ross Taylor.
Henry Nicholls found some welcome form with the bat, blasting 79 runs off just 54 balls in a masterful middle order knock as part of a handy partnership with the swashbuckling Phillips (47 off 30).
Ireland seemed on track to complete what would've been the joint third-highest run chase in ODI history, as Stirling and Tector combined for a scintillating 179-run stand for the third wicket.
But when Stirling departed in the 35th over and Guptill snared a spectacular one-handed catch to dismiss Gareth Delany soon afterwards, the Irish - at one stage sitting pretty at 271/3 - began to collapse, losing six wickets for 86 runs and, eventually, the match.
Paceman Matt Henry was the pick of the NZ attack, finishing with four wickets for 68 runs on an expensive day for each of the bowlers. Mitchell Santner chimed in with some key scalps, claiming three wickets for 71 runs.
The tour now shifts to the Twenty20 format, with a three-match series beginning on Tuesday.
