(Reuters) - New Zealand clinched the tri-nation title by beating hosts Pakistan by five wickets in the final in Karachi on Friday to give them a major boost ahead of next week's Champions Trophy.
Seamer Will O'Rourke (4-43) led New Zealand's tidy bowling as they bundled out the hosts for 242 with three deliveries still left in their innings.
Daryl Mitchell (57) and Tom Latham (56) struck fifties as New Zealand romped home with 28 balls to spare, finishing unbeaten in the tournament that also involved South Africa.
Electing to bat, Pakistan kept losing wickets every time a partnership promised to bloom.
Skipper Mohammad Rizwan (46) and Salman Agha (45) forged an 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket but boundaries were not easy to come by.
Tayyab Tahir (38) and Faheem Ashraf (22) contributed useful runs down the order but Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 47 runs to settle for a below-par total.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner conceded 20 runs in his 10 tidy overs, claiming two wickets.
Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah removed opener Will Young in the second over but New Zealand's frontline batters, aided by Pakistan's sloppy catching and woeful use of the review option, produced useful cameos to keep their chase on track.
Pakistan dragged themselves back into the contest after removing Devon Conway (48) and Kane Williamson (34) but could not drive home their advantage.
They wasted a review in their desperation to get Williamson lbw and did not use the option when Latham was given not out despite being trapped plumb in front.
Latham got two more reprieves as Shaheen Afridi spilled a return catch while Saud Shakeel floored a sitter at square leg.
Abrar Ahmed held on to a return catch to remove Mitchell but Latham punished Pakistan for their sloppiness and went on to complete his fifty.
Latham's luck finally ran out when Abrar took a catch in the deep - spraining his neck in the process -- but it came too late for the hosts as New Zealand were on the cusp of victory.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Toby Davis)
