Brendon McCullum's run-a-ball century steered New Zealand to a 64-run win over Pakistan in the second ODI in Abu Dhabi on Saturday morning.
McCullum scored 131 and added 126 runs for the second wicket with Martin Guptill (62) to give New Zealand a flying start which it never conceded to reach 303-8 in its 50 overs.
Dan Vettori (30) and Jacob Oram (33no) helped the momentum as Pakistan's attack suffered.
Pakistan made a promising start to be 124-1 in the 28th over but it lost four wickets for 10 runs as Scott Styris got among the wickets to end with 3-23 from four destructive overs.
Vettori took 2-37 from his 10 while Kyle Mills had 2-57 in his comeback from injury.
Pakistan was dismissed in the 48th over for 239 runs, as the Black Caps leveled the three-match series at 1-1.
McCullum, who last month lost the vice-captaincy in a bid by the management to focus his mind on batting and keeping wicket, provided the perfect answer with 131 in 129 balls at the top of the order.
He said in the post-match presentation he had been guilty in the past of not carrying on.
"I will take a lot from today. I got the balance right. It's an amazing turnaround for us," he said.
Captain Daniel Vettori said: "The partnership between Guptill and McCullum was the key. We have talked about our top batsmen playing on and it was fantastic how McCullum played."
McCullum clubbed 14 boundaries and three sixes on his way to a second ODI ton, an innings which underpinned the Black Caps total after Daniel Vettori won the toss and decided to bat.
Aaron Redmond fell early for six after Mohammed Aamer struck with the new ball before Martin Guptill joined McCullum to add a second-wicket partnership of 126.
Guptill hit two sixes and five fours on his way to a 70-ball 62 before falling to Abdul Razzaq.
Ross Taylor (duck) and Scott Styris (nine) both failed to provide adequate support for the rampaging McCullum, Shahid Afridi accounting for the former before Younus Khan ran out Styris.
The ever-dependable Vettori weighed in with a timely 30, while Jacob Oram worked the ball around intelligently for his run-a-ball 33 not out.
Afridi picked up the wicket of Neil Broom for a second duck of the innings, while Shane Bond hit a brisk 10no at the end of the innings to ease the New Zealanders past the 300 mark.
Aamer took the most punishment, shelling 64 runs in his 10 overs while only Afridi conceded fewer than 50 - albeit by a single run.