Colin Munro shrugged off a string of low scores to plunder a rapid 72 as New Zealand posted 212 for four in Sunday’s series-deciding final Twenty20 against India in Hamilton.
The New Zealand opener had averaged less than 20 in the previous four one-day internationals and two Twenty20s of the series.
But with the Twenty20s locked at one-all he found his touch with five fours and fives sixes in his 72 off 40 deliveries.
With Tim Seifert cracking 43 off 25, the pair put on 80 for the first wicket.
Colin de Grandhomme chimed in with 30 off 16 to ensure New Zealand passed the 200 mark.
Earlier, India captain Rohit Sharma, who won the toss, said they would defy the convention of batting first in a decider.
“We did not have a good result the last time we played here,” he said.
“When it’s a big game like a decider you always want to put runs on the board but the combination we play with allows us to chase because we bat very deep.”
India go into this match with the series locked at 1-1, after earlier whipping New Zealand 4-1 in the one-day internationals.