Rutherford (62 off 35 balls) and McCullum (68) put on a second-wicket stand of 114 to help the Kiwis post 201-4, a record T20 score against England, under the floodlights in south London yesterday.
The hosts, looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to India in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday, got off to a flyer in the chase and Luke Wright weighed in with 52 to leave them requiring 16 runs off the last over.
"There was a lot of pressure towards the end and a lot of young lads came out of it really well," McCullum said. "It's small margins but it's great to come out of it on the winning side."
Fifteen sixes were hit in an entertaining game but England couldn't find the big hits when it mattered in the final over.
"We were only two blows away from winning the game," England captain Eoin Morgan said.
The second and final T20 of the series is played Thursday at the same venue, with England set to recall Kevin Pietersen after his return from a knee injury.
England has rested the majority of its test players for these T20s, with the Ashes series against Australia approaching.
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