LEEDS: The opening Twenty20 international between Pakistan and England at Headingley was called off on Wednesday due to persistent rain, before a ball was bowled.
The game was supposed to serve as a springboard for defending champion England’s T20 World Cup championship in the Caribbean and the US the following month.
However, an hour or so prior to the game’s scheduled start time of 1730 GMT, the umpires had to cancel it due to a prolonged and intense downpour in Leeds.
The four-match series against Pakistan, whom England defeated to win the 2022 T20 World Cup in Melbourne, will now resume on Saturday at Birmingham’s Edgbaston ground. Games at the Oval and Cardiff the following week will follow.
Prior to the 50-over World Cup in India last year, England was also the reigning champions; however, Jos Buttler’s team had a modest departure, losing six of their nine games.
Jofra Archer, an England fast bowler, may make a comeback to the international scene during the Pakistan T20 series. The 29-year-old’s career has been ruined by injuries; elbow and back issues kept him out of elite cricket for 14 months.
