Pakistan strike twice before rain halts Test

New Zealand reached 77-2 against Pakistan before rain forced day one of the second and final Test to be abandoned after just 21 overs here.

The players took lunch 15 minutes early as the skies opened, with Jeet Raval on 35 and Ross Taylor on 29 after the early loss of Tom Latham and Kane Williamson.

Three hours later, the umpires tired of waiting for the rain to clear, scratched the final session. Play will resume half-an-hour early at 10:30 am on Saturday. Pakistan won the toss in bowler-friendly conditions with a green wicket and heavy cloud cover, but apart from Mohammad Amir, their seamers were unable to pin New Zealand down.

New Zealand require only a draw to secure their first series win over Pakistan in more than 30 years, while Pakistan need a win to extend their two-year unbeaten series streak.