After Pakistan and New Zealand's first T20 match on Thursday ended in a washout, fast bowler Mohammad Amir's comeback to international cricket was scheduled to be delayed.
Rain stopped play in a shortened five-over-a-side match after debutant Tim Robinson was clean bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi for a duck, putting New Zealand ahead 2-1 after two balls.
Rain delayed play for over two hours, in Rawalpindi, a drizzle caused the toss to be postponed for thirty minutes. This was Afridi's turn to deliver the opening ball. The sides will reconvene on Saturday for the second of five T20 matches.
After coming out of retirement to compete in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States in June, Amir and the all-rounder Imad Wasim were included in the 17-man Pakistani squad for the country's five-match home series against New Zealand.
Amir was playing in his hometown for his first international match in four years, while Imad was not selected to play.
Both teams are using the series, led by the returned white-ball captain Babar Azam, to prepare for the T20 World Cup. Usman Khan, Irfan Khan, and Abrar Ahmed were picked as Pakistan's three debutants for the first game of the series after their performances in the previous Pakistan Super League. Amir was supposed to play in 2nd match after replacing one of the pacers but the first match got abandoned so the same squad will be playing their next match.
After Usman switched allegiance to play for his natal nation, the Emirates Cricket Board banned him for five years. After he scored two hundred in a row in the Pakistan Super League, the Pakistan selectors took notice.
Abrar excelled with his leg-spin bowling, and Irfan was dubbed the PSL's developing talent.
Azam Khan, the wicketkeeper for Pakistan, was pulled out of the first match after feeling pain in his calf and right knee during Wednesday's net-hitting session.
Nine important players who were participating in the Indian Premier League were absent for New Zealand. Just before the tour, injuries sustained in training by Finn Allen and Adam Milne significantly weakened the group. Robinson was given a T20 debut by New Zealand after he hit 298 runs in the Super Smash at a remarkable strike rate of 187.42 back home.
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