The first T20 International of a three-match series has been abandoned after rain came during England’s innings on Saturday at Manchester’s Old Trafford. Prior to that, England batsman Tom Banton went hammer and tongs, and Pakistan asked the hosts to bat on a cloudy evening. Taking the opportunity to open the innings, Banton Fix scored 71 from 42 balls including six sixes. After they went back to the pavilion, Pakistan took 4 wickets for 14 runs.
So, Eoin Morgan’s team couldn’t really capitalize on the start that Banton provided. Shadab Touch proved costly at the start, but Pakistan turned on the hosts before the leggings and rain stopped the offensive opener wicket. At one o’clock the rain stopped and the fieldfield went out so slowly that the match officials abandoned the match. The second T20 of the series will take place on Sunday (August 30).
11 matches are played on both teams:
Pakistan playing 11: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (week), Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.
England playing 11: Tom Banton, Johnny Bierstow (Pa), David Malan, Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Tom Curran, Louis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Adil Rasheed, Saqib Mahmood.
