Fast bowler Umar Gul is confident Pakistan will set aside their defeat in the one-day series against New Zealand and bounce back in the two-match Twenty20 international series in Dubai.

New Zealand hit back from defeat in the first one-dayer to clinch the one-day series 2-1 with consecutive victories in Abu Dhabi.

The focus now shifts to Dubai for back-to-back Twenty20 games starting on Thursday and Gul, the world's leading bowler in Twenty20 internationals, believes Pakistan are a far more potent combination in the shorter format.

"Twenty20 is a different form of game and we have an excellent combination which can win us matches," Gul said.

"We have players like Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Imran Nazir, who are good sloggers.

"In Pakistan, we play a lot of Twenty20 cricket at club level and we have a lot of experience in this format of the game.

"I, too, learned to bowl a lot of yorkers and the slower delivery during practice for domestic matches.

"In Afridi we have an aggressive captain, so we are a strong team."

The teams have clashed twice in Twenty20 internationals in the past and Pakistan have emerged convincing winners in both games.

Gul took five for six against New Zealand in a World Twenty20 match, a feat that has inspired him, and also has figures of four wickets for eight runs against Australia at Dubai's Sports City Stadium.

"The Oval game (against New Zealand) gave me a lot of confidence and I would like to repeat that performance here," Gul said.

"In the one-day series I wasn't able to perform as well as I expected but I'm looking forward to the Twenty20 matches."

Opening batsman Nazir will take his place at the top of the order alongside Khalid Latif, while left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir is the other likely change from the one-day team.

New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori is hoping his team carry the momentum gained in the one-day games into the Twenty20 matches.

"We understand that Pakistan are a consistently inconsistent team and we can beat each other on any given day," he said.

"In the one-day games, we managed to put some great fielding performances together and in the end that was the big difference, apart from the consistent starts from the top order.

"There was a lot of pressure on us to come away and win a series with all the stuff that's going on back home.

"To come here and win a series away from home improves our worth and it shows this is a quality side. I am sure the guys will be more motivated.

"The conditions in the one-day matches were favourable to Pakistan and here, too, it will suit them.

"But the key thing is that we already have a series win and must keep the pressure on them and win the Twenty20 as well."