Guptill, currently the world’s fifth highest ranked batsman in the Twenty20 format, produced a superb innings which came off just 48 balls to propel the Black Caps to 180-5.

Ross Taylor’s input also proved invaluable as he hit an unbeaten 36 on a wicket that was conducive to high scoring.

Pakistan, who began the tournament with a win over Bangladesh before falling to a six-wicket defeat to arch-rivals India, looked on course to successfully chase down their target of 181 as they effortlessly reached 65-1 thanks to Sharjeel Khan's quick-fire 47.

But once Khan fell to the bowling of Adam Milne, who finished with decent figures of 2-26, the Pakistani charge began to falter and they fell comfortably short of the required total despite still having five wickets intact.

Spinner Mitchell Santner also got in on the act as he picked up 2-29, while leg-spinner Ish Sodhi claimed the key scalp of veteran power hitter Shahid Afridi.

The result leaves New Zealand top of Group 2 with a 100 per cent record having also beaten hosts India and Australia.

Pakistan, winners of the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 in England, are currently second but have played a game more than both the Australians and the home nation.

They appear to now be reliant on other results if they are to secure one of the two available places in the last four.

In the women’s tournament, England clinched their second successive triumph as they edged past India with a two-wicket victory in Dharamsala.

In what was a low-scoring affair, England seized the upper hand by restricting their opponents to 90-8 from their full allocation of 20 overs, during which Heather Knight returned an impressive 3-15.

The English side then started brightly but struggled as Ekta Bisht took 4-21 before they squeezed over the winning line with six balls to spare.