contributed 39 runs before the unseparated Elliot-Taylor partnership took the game away from Pakistan.
Elliot hit eight boundaries in his 68-ball knock, the last sealing the team’s victory.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq believed they were about 70 runs short of a competitive total.
“In the first 10 overs we were nowhere, we had no momentum,” he said.
“They bowled really well and we just kept on losing wickets. I think 280-290 could have been a competitive total on this pitch.”
The comfortable victory for New Zealand underscored Pakistan’s lack of preparation two weeks away from the start of the World Cup.
It was their first ODI since they were beaten 3-2 in a home series against New Zealand before Christmas, and the lack of match play was evident from the moment they lost the toss and were put in to bat.
The batsmen lacked timing and later the bowlers struggled with direction against a New Zealand side which had just completed a 4-2 series win over Sri Lanka.
Napier hosts the second and final ODI on Tuesday.
Score Board
New Zealand won toss
Pakistan
M Hafeez b Mills 0
A Shehzad c Ronchi b Boult 15
Younis lbw b Mills 9
*Misbah c Latham b Elliott 58
H Sohail c Guptill b Anderson 23
U Akmal b Elliott 13
†Sarfraz c Latham b Anderson 5
S Afridi c Guptill b Milne 67
B Bhatti c Guptill b Boult 0
E Adil c B McCullum b Elliott 6
M Irfan not out 1
Extras (lb 3, w 9, nb 1) 13
Total (all out; 45.3 overs) 210
Fall: 1-0, 2-29, 3-32, 4-81, 5-113, 6-127, 7-198, 8-203, 9-203, 10-210
Bowling: Mills 10-2-29-2 (1nb, 1w); Boult 9-0-25-2 (2w); Milne 10-0-43-1 (3w); N McCullum 6-0-37-0; Anderson 6-0-47-2 (2w); Elliott 4.3-0-26-3 (1w)
New Zealand
M J Guptill c B Bhatti b M Irfan 39
*B B McCullum c A Shehzad b B Bhatti 17
T W M Latham c Sarfraz b S Afridi 23
L R P L Taylor not out 59
G D Elliott not out 64
Extras (lb 3, w 8) 11
Total (3 wickets; 39.3 overs) 213
Did not bat: C J Anderson, †L Ronchi, N L McCullum, K D Mills, A F Milne, T A Boult
Fall: 1-31, 2-75, 3-101
Bowling: M Irfan 10-2-60-1 (5w); B Bhatti 8-0-51-1 (1w); E Adil 7.3-0-44-0; S Afridi 10-0-39-1 (2w); H Sohail 4-0-16-0
Result: New Zealand won by 7 wickets
Series: New Zealand lead the 2-match series by 1-0
Man of the Match: G D Elliott (New Zealand)
Umpires: C B Gaffaney and M A Gough (England). TV umpire: R J Tucker (Australia). Match referee: J Srinath (India)