A century to opening batter Finn Allen and a four wicket haul from spinner Ish Sodhi have powered the Blackcaps to a comprehensive win over Scotland, taking a 68-run win at Edinburgh.
Allen, 23, struck his first hundred for the Blackcaps in any format, taking 54 balls to reach three figures with eight fours and six sixes, before he was out stumped by Matthew Cross off the bowling of Mark Watt for 101 in the 18th over.
His 101 runs made up the bulk of New Zealand's 225/5, and was aided by contributions from Martin Guptill (40 from 31) and Jimmy Neesham (30 not out from nine),
With the ball, Sodhi stood out with figures of 4/28, taking out Scotland top and middle order, as the hosts struggled against spin, also seeing Mitchell Santner chip in with 2/23.
Losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Allen and Guptill made Scotland captain Richie Berrington regret his decision, bringing up a 50-run opening stand from the innings' first 38 balls.
Allen was given a life with his score on just one, and made Scotland pay, while Guptill was caught on two, but saved by a no-ball as Scotland's Chris Sole overstepped.
After the end of the powerplay, Guptill was the first man out when he was caught behind by Cross off Berrington to break the opening stand at 85, before Allen reached his half-century in 33 balls.
Together with Glenn Phillips (23 off 16), Allen added 51 from 31 balls for the second wicket, which included taking 27 runs off one Sole over.
Allen dominated the third wicket stand of 39 with Daryl Mitchell (23 not out), and raised his maiden international hundred in the 18th over, lofting Watt over his head to reach triple figures from 54 balls.
The young right-hander fell two balls later, leaving Neesham to finish the innings with three sixes and two fours in his rapid 30, before falling to the innings' penultimate delivery.
Scotland's opening pair of George Munsey (28) and Calum MacLeod (33) got the chase off to a solid start, before regular wickets ensured the hosts never really challenged the target.
The introduction of Santner and Sodhi in tandem took the life out of Scotland's chase, taking four of the first five wickets to fall.
Scotland No.6 Chris Greaves did his best to keep the innings together with a 22-ball 31, but with no support from the other end, fell with the asking rate at more than 26 runs per over.
Lockie Ferguson (1/35) finished the innings off with the wicket of Safyaan Sharif in the last over, caught behind by Dane Cleaver, as Scotland limped to 157/8 from their 20 overs.
The Blackcaps have one more Twenty20 International against Scotland, played at Edinburgh on Saturday, before a one-off One Day International, played at the same ground on Sunday.
New Zealand 225/5 (Allen 101, Guptill 40; Berrington 1/13)
Scotland 157/8 (MacLeod 33, Greaves 31; Sodhi 4/28, Santner 2/23)
