The visitors posted a mammoth score of 254-5 in their 20 overs, which included 18 sixes. Mark Chapman scored 83 runs in 44 balls, before Michael Bracewell scored an unbeaten 61 in just 25 balls.
Scotland lost the match by 102 runs and coach Shane Berger said this showed his team had to “keep upskilling themselves”. The hosts had lost the first of two Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand by 68 runs at the same Edinburgh venue on Wednesday.
“The game is getting better, faster, people are getting more skilled,” Berger said. “It’s been a massive learning curve in terms of where we are and what we need to do before the World Cup.
“The more times you are thrown into this environment when they are better than you and you have to make sure you are playing your best, the better off we are. We need more international fixtures against really good teams like them.”
Stand-in Kiwi captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bat. Wednesday’s Centurion Finn Allen was dismissed cheaply, but Dane Cleaver and Chapman still managed to score quickly in the powerplay, taking advantage of short boundaries and a sharp outfield on offer.
Chapman, in particular, was brilliant, hitting seven sixes all around the field, only to take a fine boundary off Chris Greaves. From there, however, New Zealand accelerated further, with both Bracewell and Jimmy Neesham (28) scoring at strike rates of over 230.
After the interval, George Muncy got off to a quick start for the hosts, but when he was dismissed for 19, Matthew Cross and Ollie Heyers followed him back to the pavilion.
This led to captain Richie Berrington and Greaves attempting to chase down a mountain-like score, although both men rallied, continuing to increase the required run-rate.
The New Zealand bowlers continued to share wickets between them at regular intervals, preventing any real Scottish momentum. Greaves was impressive on Wednesday, making a fluent 37 with a series of sweep shots.
He was dismissed with a brilliant catch and a bowled effort by Ish Sodhi, who saw the ball running towards the boundary, his right hand out. Scotland have somewhat narrowed their way to 152-9 and will hope for the better when the sides meet again in a one-day international at The Grange on Sunday.