At the other end, Shubman Gill was on 45 when rain intervened again. The match was called off with India 89-1 in 12.5 overs.
India, who won the last T20I series but were beaten by seven wickets in the first one-dayer in Auckland, can now only hope to level the series in Christchurch, which hosts the final on Wednesday.
The visitors have rested several frontline players, including regular skipper Rohit Sharma, after their T20 World Cup campaign in Australia, where they lost to eventual winners England in the semi-finals.