The much-anticipated first T20I between England and Pakistan was unfortunately washed out due to relentless rain at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds. Scheduled for Wednesday, the match was called off without a single ball being bowled, leaving both teams and fans deeply disappointed T20I match cancelled.
England’s captain, Jos Buttler, shared his frustration about T20I match cancelled in a post-match interview with Sky Sports. “We’ve had a really good couple of days’ prep and everyone was really excited for the series,” he said. “I think just putting the England kit back on and playing cricket in England is amazing. So it’s really disappointing today, not to be playing, but three matches still to look forward to.”
Buttler also highlighted the importance of this series as part of their preparation for the upcoming World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA next month. He noted the unique and flexible preparation required, especially for players involved in the IPL play-offs. “I think that’s why we felt it was good to try and get the players all together for this series,” he said. Buttler emphasized his commitment to leading England, despite his personal opinion that international cricket should not clash with the IPL. “My first priority at the moment is being England captain and trying to prepare as best we can for a world tournament,” he added.
Looking ahead, attention now shifts to the second T20I, scheduled to take place in Birmingham on May 25th at 6:30 PM (PST).
Squads:
England: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan.
Remaining matches in Pakistan vs England men’s T20I series:
May 25: Second T20I at Birmingham
May 28: Third T20I at Cardiff
May 30: Fourth T20I at The Oval
