The Blackcaps have held on to beat Pakistan by four runs in a thrilling third Twenty20 international in Lahore.
Defending a subpar total of 163/5 - highlighted by captain Tom Latham's 64 - the NZ bowlers ripped through the Pakistan line-up.
At 88/7 in the 15th over, a series-salvaging win seemed all but assured for the tourists, but masterblaster Iftikhar Ahmed (60 off 24 balls) wasn't ready to give up the chase, bludgeoning the attack with a series of late sixes to put his team on the brink of an unlikely win.
At 149/8 and needing 15 runs off the final over, Iftikhar slammed Jimmy Neesham for a six and a four in the first three balls, before holing out in the deep to Daryl Mitchell, ending a dazzling innings that featured six sixes and three fours.
Tailender Haris Rauf needed four to tie the match off the final delivery, which he sent high, wide, but not so handsome, as Chad Bowes got underneath to take the match-sealing catch.
An encouraging response after two emphatic defeats, the result means New Zealand stay alive in the five-match series, with a chance to square the ledger in the fourth game, when the teams shift to Rawalpindi on Friday.
After winning the toss, the Kiwis made another lacklustre start with the bat, with Bowes bowled by Shaheen during the powerplay, as they managed just 35 runs in the first six overs.
At 64/2 at the halfway stage, Latham and Mitchell began to up the ante, targeting the Pakistan spinners with excellent effect.
The duo put on a third-wicket partnership of 65 runs from just 43 balls, with Latham recording his third T20I half-century in the process, until Mitchell (33 off 26 balls) miscued a heave off Shaheen.
Fast-bowler Rauf (2/31) again proved New Zealand's nemesis, stemming the flow of runs late with regular wickets, including Latham with just over three overs remaining.
The captain looked in great touch at the crease, showing some creativity with a couple of perfectly executed ramp shots during his 49-ball stay, which included seven fours and two sixes.
Mark Chapman (16no) played a handy late salvo with Neesham (10) - who was undone by a Rauf off-cutter - and Rachin Ravindra (8no), as the Blackcaps posted a competitive - albeit slightly undercooked - total.
The bowlers ensured New Zealand were immediately on the frontfoot. In the second over, Adam Milne claimed the key wicket of second-match centurion Babar Azam, with a superb diving catch at third man by Ravindra.
Dangerman Mohammasd Rizwan was run out two overs later from a direct hit by Bowes, reducing Pakistan to 17/2 in the fourth over.
Neesham made an instant impact, inducing the faintest of edges to remove Saim Ayub with his very first delivery.
Ravindra then struck twice in quick succession, with some sharp work by Latham having Fakhar Zaman stumped, then inducing a mistimed shot from Imad Wasim.
When Sodhi trapped Shaheen leg before wicket in the next over, Pakistan were teetering on the edge of disaster at 66/6.
Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed tried to revive their team with a flurry of boundaries, until Shadab holed out to Chapman at deep backward point, off the bowling of Milne.
Iftikhar then decided to take matters into his own hands, slaughtering the NZ attack with a series of sixes, including three off Milne in a 23-run 18th over to dramatically swing the tide of the match.
Needing 23 off the final two overs, Faheem slammed Matt Henry for six, before being dismissed by a great catch from Mitchell, sliding in from the long-on boundary.
Naseem couldn't get any bat on ball through the final three balls of the over, putting Iftikhar on strike for the final over, with 15 runs required for victory.
With Ben Lister forced from the field from the injury after just two overs, Neesham took the ball for the 20th over and was promptly hoisted over midwicket for six with his first ball.
Iftikhar split the fielders at long-off for four on the third ball, leaving Pakistan needing five runs off three balls, but chasing another boundary, he hoisted a comfortable catch in the deep for Mitchell.
Neesham beat Rauf with the final two deliveries, before the No.11 batter sent one into the clouds and Bowes got safely underneath to close out the NZ win.
The Aucklander finished with figures of 3/38, with the spin pairing of Ravindra (2/28 off three overs) and Sodhi (1/11 off three) the best of the bowlers.
New Zealand 163/5 (Latham 64, Mitchell 33; Shaheen 2/33, Rauf 2/31) Pakistan 159 (Iftikhar 60, Faheem 27; Neesham 3/38, Milne 2/37, Ravindra 2/28)
New Zealand win by four runs
