THAT’S IT! THE MATCH WAS ABANDONED DUE TO RAIN!
On Tuesday, May 28, the third T20I in Cardiff was called off without a ball being thrown because of rain. Two of the three T20Is in the two teams’ four-game series have been rained out. It is the second abandonment of the series after the rain wrecked Wednesday’s series opener in Leeds. There were only 39.2 of the 120 planned overs bowled thus far.
England stays 1-0 ahead with one game remaining at The Oval on Thursday after a 23-run win at Edgbaston. But this latest cancellation comes just a week before they begin their T20 World Cup title defense against Scotland in Barbados on June 4. Pakistan enters the series having won the three-match T20I series against Ireland 2-1.
Jos Buttler’s Absence Effect The England Team
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England’s skipper, Jos Buttler, did not go to Cardiff for personal reasons. If the game had gone place, Moeen Ali would have headed their side instead. Buttler left the squad on Saturday night after England’s 23-run victory in Birmingham. He returned to London with his wife Louise, who is expecting their third child.
In the first match between Pakistan and England, England captain Jos Buttler led the innings with a 51-ball 84. At the same time, facing new ball threats from Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Amir. During the knock, Buttler scored 3000 T20 runs and tied Eoin Morgan for the most caps for England in the format.
England Team Adjustments
Mark Wood was set to play his first match for England since early March. Well, Sam Curran was expected to play after missing out on Saturday at Edgbaston. We believe that Jofra Archer would have been rested, with England adopting a careful approach to his workload after such a long injury lay-off.
The good news is that Buttler is scheduled to go to Barbados with the rest of the England squad on Friday. He may even return in time to play the series’ final match at The Oval on Thursday night. As things stand, the weather forecast for south London is unfavorable.
Both teams hope to have one more practice before the T20 World Cup in 2024, although this should allow for a shorter game. Neither team is set to play an official warm-up match between Thursday and their first group-stage matches. They will be a little raw in comparison to other World Cup teams.
Pakistan has lately played regularly in this format, playing 2-2 with New Zealand in April. And they defeated Ireland 2-1 earlier this month; Saturday’s encounter was England’s only T20I since December 21.
Weather Interruptions and Series Conclusion
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Heavy rain began early Tuesday morning in Cardiff and persisted throughout the day. It briefly stopped in the afternoon but resumed at about 5.15 p.m. This continually delayed the toss until umpires Mike Burns and Russell Warren called off the match at 8.12 p.m., much to the chagrin of a sold-out audience.
With this game being washed out and with one game remaining in the series, England‘s 1-0 lead is unassailable. The caravan now travels to London for the fourth and final T20I. This last match will be played at the Kennington Oval on Thursday, May 30th. Fingers crossed for better weather that day. The first ball will be bowled at 11 p.m. IST (5.30 p.m. GMT), but as usual, our preparations will begin considerably earlier. See you then. Cheers!
Also Read: Archie Vaughan Successfully Signs First Deal With Somerset
About the Author
Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer whose love for cricket shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
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