Captain Brendon McCullum succumbed to a rush of blood after he and Tom Latham gave New Zealand a strong start in the second Test against Pakistan with an opening partnership of 77 runs on Monday.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the visitors, trailing 1-0 in the three-test series, reached 82 for one wicket at lunch.
First-test centurion Latham was unbeaten on 35 with Kane Williamson on four at the other end.
Ehsan Adil, who replaced paceman Imran Khan in the starting line-up for the hosts, broke the gritty opening stand 15 minutes before the break when McCullum played an irresponsible shot to get out on 43.
The aggressive right-hander pulled Adil, playing his second test match, straight to Shan Masood at square leg with the fielder placed there exactly for that shot.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq introduced spin as early as the ninth over after his pace bowlers failed to make early inroads with the new ball.
Latham survived a close leg before appeal against Adil when batting on 11 but displayed good temperament to deny the Pakistan bowlers.
Pakistan, who won the first test in Abu Dhabi by 248 runs, went in with a new left-handed opening pair after Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez failed to recover from injuries.
Masood, with just two test caps, and Taufeeq Umar, who last played in July 2012, will open the batting for the hosts. – Reuters