Rain curtails first T20I between England and Pakistan after Tom Banton shows more signs of rare ability

Just 16.1 overs were possible after the visitors won the toss and opted to field, before the heavens opened in Manchester

Scorecard: England v Pakistan

As has been the theme in a week of wintery weather, the first of three T20Is between England and Pakistan was washed out at Emirates Old Trafford.

Just 16.1 overs were possible after the visitors won the toss and opted to field, before the heavens opened in Manchester.

The rain was persistent rather than heavy, but enough to prevent the sides from returning to the field amid bleak skies.

Before then, however, Tom Banton had served up another reminder of his astonishing potential, hammering 71 off just 42 balls in a quite brutal assault that included four fours and five sixes, and was focused mainly on the leg-spin of Shadab Khan and the seamers of Haris Rauf.

England had started slowly, with Banton dropped at slip by Iftikhar Ahmed off the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi, while Jonny Bairstow fell in the first over having offered a sharp return catch to Imad Wasim.

Banton and Dawid Malan put on 71 for the second wicket in 9.2 overs, but the latter ran himself out attempting to steal a quick single. Banton was next to go, slicing another big hit to extra cover.

From there, England threatened to lose their way; Eoin Morgan was trapped in front by Iftikhar’s off-spin. He was followed four balls later by Moeen Ali, who was well caught by the impressive Mohammad Rizwan off Shadab, and Lewis Gregory, who was stumped by Rizwan off Wasim.

It was already raining lightly by then. It was not long afterwards that the umpires called the groundstaff onto the pitch; and for all their best efforts, that was all where it ended.

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