Nelson/Calcutta: Martin Guptill was at his belligerent best as New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by eight wickets in Nelson on Tuesday, although captain Kane Williamson admitted a rain delay had done the hosts a favour.

The second ODI was evenly poised when rain forced the players from the field for more than two hours with New Zealand 64 for two after 14 overs in reply to Pakistan's 246 for nine.

When play resumed under the Duckworth-Lewis system New Zealand's target was revised to 151 in 25 overs meaning they had 11 overs left to make 87.

"Pakistan showed some resistance at the end and put some partnerships together which would have been a tricky total on that surface," Williamson said, adding the rain break "worked in our favour a little bit".

But the New Zealand captain also hailed the "brilliant" partnership involving Guptill and Ross Taylor to get New Zealand home with seven balls to spare. Guptill, 31 off 40 at the break, was 86 not out off 71 deliveries at the end..

Meanwhile, New Zealand allrounder Colin de Grandhomme will rejoin the squad ahead of the third ODI. De Grandhomme had missed the limited overs series against West Indies due to the death of his father in Zimbabwe. George Worker drops out of what is an otherwise unchanged squad from the first two ODIs against Pakistan.