Black Caps captain Kane Williamson has stressed improvement if his side are to build upon their famous test victory over Pakistan this week.
The dramatic four-run victory gave New Zealand their first test win away from home since 2014, but the fact they needed a Pakistan batting collapse to accomplish it has left Williamson pushing for more in the second test which starts in Dubai tomorrow night.
"It is important we look to build on a number of parts going into the next game for sure.
"We've got a lot more tough cricket to come and it's important we learn from some parts of this game that we will need to build on."
While ecstatic with the fight of his side in the fourth innings, and the match-winning performances of bowlers Ajaz Patel and Neil Wagner, Williamson is aware the game could have gone either way.
"I suppose if they were on the right side of the result, a number of questions would have a slightly different line of thinking.
"We would certainly have wanted a few more in our first innings. It wasn't easy and both teams would want to reflect and improve going into the next match."
Black Caps coach Gary Stead is expecting his side to improve upon their batting performances — mustering just 153 and 249 — but warns that Pakistan should also be better in the second test.
"I don't think you'll win too many test matches when you only score 153 in the first innings, so it was always going to be that we had to keep fighting and fighting," Stead said.
"[Pakistan will] be better for it and if they've taken us lightly, well they certainly won't be now. I expect them to be better and I expect we can better as well."
Stead is predicting both of the remaining two tests to have results, with conditions in Dubai expected to be even lower and slower than in Abu Dhabi, and Williamson says it'll require some tweaks to their strategy if they want to claim a rare away series victory.
"We'll need to put our heads down and adapt, and be a little bit better as well."