| 0.0 : TOSS - Scotland have won the toss and they have opted to BAT first. |
| England (Playing XI) - Phil Salt, Jos Buttler(C)(WK), Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. |
| Scotland (Playing XI) - George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington(C), Matthew Cross(WK), Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Mark Watt, Chris Sole, Brad Wheal, Bradley Currie. |
| The skipper of Scotland, Richie Berrington says they want to bat first. Adds that the wicket seems dry. He hopes they can adapt to the surface and put up a good score on the board. Adds there is experience in this group and there are a few younger guys and heâs looking forward for this game. Ends by saying he hopes to do well in the tournament. |
| The captain of England, Jos Buttler, says that they were looking to bowl first. Mentions that it is a great venue to start the title defence and a great country to be hosting the World Cup. He states that he is delighted to have Jofra Archer back in the ranks, and the team has high hopes from him. Informs that Mark Wood and Chris Jordan are playing, and it is Reece Topley who misses out. Shares that the extra pace of Wood is the thinking behind selecting him ahead of Topley. |
| UPDATE - 7.51 pm IST (2.21 pm GMT) - Just as we were getting ready for the start of this clash, it has started to rain, and the covers have been brought on by the ground staff. The rain seems to have gotten heavier, and it does not look like we will be having a prompt start. Stick around for further updates. |
| UPDATE - 8.04 pm IST (2.34 pm GMT) - Good news! The rain has stopped and it is starting to get a lot brighter. More promising signs as the umpires have made their way out to inspect the outfield. The ground staff are out as well and are preparing to take the covers off. Right then, the game will commence at 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT). We lost 30 minutes of game time but no overs have been lost. |
| UPDATE - 8.24 pm IST (2.54 pm GMT) - Uh oh! Looks like water has seeped from the covers onto the pitch, resulting in a damp spot on the strip. As a result, we will have a lengthier delay than we had hoped. As the ground staff work on drying that spot, the match officials have scheduled an inspection for 8.45 pm IST (3.15 pm GMT). |
| UPDATE - 8.40 pm IST (3.10 pm GMT) - We have another start time! The game should begin at 8.55 pm IST (3.25 pm GMT) if there is no more rain with no overs lost. Fingers crossed. |
| Right then, after a delay of more than an hour, we are all set to get going. In case you did not know, this is the first T20I meeting between these European rivals. Time for the players to line up for their respective national anthems, then. It will be Scotland's first, followed by the national anthem of England. |
| All in readiness to get this all-European clash underway. Cloudy skies greet the two umpires as they make their way out to the middle. Jos Buttler with some final words to his troops in the huddle before taking their places on the field. It will be the left-hand right-hand combination of George Munsey and Michael Jones to open the innings for Scotland. |
| 0.2 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, Scotland are underway! Courtesy a leg bye though! On the pads, George Munsey looks to flick but misses. This hits the pad and rolls towards short fine leg. A leg bye taken. |
| 0.1 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, What a delivery to begin with! Wow! This is a fast, yorker on middle. It tails back in also. George Munsey does well to get his bat down in time and jam it onto his pads. Really not easy to keep out such deliveries on the very first ball you face. He does well to negotiate it. |
| 0.3 : Mark Wood to Michael Jones, First run off the bat! Michael Jones is underway! Fuller and on middle, this is pushed to the left of mid on for one. |
| 0.4 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, FOUR! Stand and deliver! Shot full of authority! This is full and on middle. Munsey stands tall and hits it over the bowler and down to the long on fence. First boundary of the game and it comes off the bat of George Munsey! |
| 0.5 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, Goes short now and on middle. George Munsey pulls but to mid-wicket. |
| 0.6 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, Decent first over then for Scotland! Wood bowls it on a length and around off, George Munsey guides it to point. |
| 0.0 : It will be Jofra Archer to steam in from the other end. |
| 1.1 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, Confident stroke! Shortish and around off, Michael Jones gets on top of the bounce and punches it past cover for a couple. |
| 1.2 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, 2 runs. |
| 1.3 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, FOUR! That is the best shot of the game so far. Put away with disdain. Another one on the shorter side, the problem here was the width. Jones yet again stands tall and punches it past cover. This time it is right off the middle and it races away to the fence. |
| 1.4 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, A leave! Do not see that a lot in this format. This is outside off. Good length. This is left alone. |
| 1.5 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, BEATEN! Goes fuller and outside off, the sucker ball. Invites the batter to drive and Jones looks to do so but is beaten. |
| 1.6 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, Top edge but two! This is shorter and on off, Michael Jones looks to pull but this goes off the top edge. It lands safe in the third man region and two is taken. End of a good over for the batting side. They are off to a decent start. |
| 2.1 : Moeen Ali to George Munsey, Fuller and on off, this is driven but to covers. |
| 2.2 : Moeen Ali to George Munsey, FOUR! Swept away! Trademark George Munsey! On the pads and out comes the sweep. He plays it past square leg and this races away. He really plays the sweeps and the reverse sweeps well. |
| 1.6 : Oh, not again! The ground staff are hovering around the covers near the fence as it has just started to drizzle a bit. It has gone a bit gloomy as well, but the players stay on for now. Time for early spin as Moeen Ali comes into the attack. |
| 2.3 : Moeen Ali to George Munsey, That one takes off. This lands around off, turns away and there is extra bounce too. George Munsey looks to defend but it goes off the outside edge towards short third man for one. |
| 2.4 : Moeen Ali to Michael Jones, On the pads, this is tucked on the leg side for one. |
| 2.5 : Moeen Ali to George Munsey, FOUR! That is nailed! Absolutely nailed! This is tossed up on middle. George Munsey walks right across and then sweeps it hard through square leg. This one races away to the fence too. |
| 2.6 : Moeen Ali to George Munsey, Slower this time and around off, this holds in the surface a touch. George Munsey looks to sweep but is through the shot early. It goes off the toe-end towards the off side. Another good over for Scotland. |
| 3.1 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, Jones gets off strike. Shortish and around off, this is guided down to third man for one. |
| 3.2 : Jofra Archer to George Munsey, Back of a length and around off, George Munsey pushes it back towards the bowler. |
| 3.3 : Jofra Archer to George Munsey, Fuller again and on the pads, this is worked through mid-wicket for one. |
| 3.4 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, Not a lot of bounce there. Length and outside off, this one stays low. Michael Jones looks to push at it but is beaten. |
| 3.5 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, Back of a length and around off, this is punched but to cover. |
| 3.6 : Jofra Archer to Michael Jones, No run. |
| 4.1 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, Wide! |
| Mark Wood to George Munsey, A loud appeal but only from the bowler. That has pitched outside leg. Fuller and on the pads. George Munsey looks to flick but misses and gets hit on the pads. |
| 4.2 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, Two! Angled into the pads, George Munsey waits and then works it past mid-wicket. Two taken. |
| 4.3 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, TAKEN! Munsey has to walk back but HOLD ON! The siren goes on and it is a NO BALL! He will be called back! Also, the next nut is a Free Hit! This is short and on off, George Munsey looks to drag the ball but it goes off the top edge. Buttler runs back. He has the short third man fielder right next to him but calls for it and takes it. |
| Mark Wood to George Munsey, No run. |
| 4.4 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, Tip and run! On off, good length. George Munsey pushes it towards cover and takes one. |
| 4.5 : Mark Wood to Michael Jones, Around off, back of a length. Jones pushes it towards cover for one. |
| 4.6 : Mark Wood to George Munsey, A dot to end! Around off, George Munsey guides it to point. Despite the no ball, it is still a good over. |
| 5.1 : Chris Jordan to Michael Jones, Honing in at the stumps, on a good length, Michael Jones covers the line of the ball and defends it down the deck. |
| 5.2 : Chris Jordan to Michael Jones, SIX! BOOM! Deposited onto the roof! |
| 5.3 : Chris Jordan to Michael Jones, FOUR! Finds the fence again! Jordan takes pace off but offers width on off, on a length, Michael Jones frees his arms and creams the drive through covers for a boundary. |
| 5.4 : Chris Jordan to Michael Jones, FOUR! Jordan is being taken to all corners of the park and Michael Jones is making the last over of the Powerplay count. |
| 5.5 : Chris Jordan to Michael Jones, No run. |
| 5.6 : Chris Jordan to Michael Jones, Goes really full, outside off, Michael Jones leans on it to force the ball through the off side. Scuffs the shot in front of cover for one. End of a great Powerplay for Scotland. |
| 6.1 : Moeen Ali to Michael Jones, 1 run. |
| 6.2 : Moeen Ali to George Munsey, Tosses it up from around the wicket, on off, George Munsey walks across his stumps and presses forward to dab it square in front of point for a single. |
| 0.0 : UPDATE - 9.28 pm IST (3.58 pm GMT) - The rain is back and so are the covers. The players make their way off the field. It is quite heavy at the moment but let us hope it passes by quickly. England actually won't mind this. They are a little under pressure here. |
| UPDATE - 9.40 pm IST (4.10 pm GMT) - Positive news! The rain has subsided, and the covers are off. The match officials are satisfied with the conditions and have decided that the play will restart at 9.50 pm IST (4.20 pm GMT) with no overs lost. Scratch that, the rain has returned, and the distant skies look ominously dark. We will be having a further delay. There is a strong breeze blowing across, and let's hope that it blows the rain away. |
| UPDATE - 9.40 pm IST (4.10 pm GMT) - Positive news! The rain has subsided, and the covers are off. The match officials are satisfied with the conditions and have decided that the play will restart at 9.50 pm IST (4.20 pm GMT) with no overs lost. Scratch that, the rain has returned, and the distant skies look ominously dark. We will be having a further delay. There is a strong breeze blowing across, and let's hope that it blows the rain away. |
| UPDATE - 10.45 pm IST (5.15 pm GMT) - The waiting game continues! Although the intensity of the rain has reduced, it is still steady and the covers are firmly in place. In case you were wondering, the cut-off time for a 5-over chase is 12.22 am IST (6.52 pm GMT, the previous day). So, we still have a decent amont of time on our hands to get a result in this game. Fingers crossed for a positive update. |
| UPDATE - 10.45 pm IST (5.15 pm GMT) - The waiting game continues! Although the intensity of the rain has reduced, it is still steady and the covers are firmly in place. In case you were wondering, the cut-off time for a 5-over chase is 12.22 am IST (6.52 pm GMT, the previous day). So, we still have a decent amount of time on our hands to get a result in this game. Fingers crossed for a positive update. |
| UPDATE - 11.22 pm IST (5.52 pm GMT) - Right then, we have a restart time, folks! The game will restart at 11.40 pm IST (6.10 pm GMT). It will be a 10-overs-per-side contest. So, Scotland have 22 balls remaining in their batting effort. With it being a 10-over game, 5 bowlers can bowl a maximum of 2 overs now and the Powerplay will be of 3 overs. Let's hope that the weather holds up now and we get through the rest of the game without any more interruptions. |
| We are all set for the resumption. The two umpires make their way out to the centre so do the players of England. George Munsey and Michael Jones stride out to resume their innings. Moeen Ali is all set to finish his over. Off we go... |
| 6.3 : Moeen Ali to Michael Jones, Begins from over the wicket and floats it up, full and outside off, Michael Jones uses his feet and plays it back to the bowler. |
| 6.4 : Moeen Ali to Michael Jones, Tosses it up again, on a length, near the tramline on off, Michael Jones frees his arms and slaps it in front of extra cover for one. |
| 6.5 : Moeen Ali to George Munsey, Goes straight up but lands safely! |
| 6.6 : Moeen Ali to Michael Jones, Pushes it through, flatter and outside off, Michael Jones leans and reaches out to drill it through covers for just a single. Good start by Moeen after the break. |
| 7.2 : Adil Rashid to Michael Jones, Bowls it from the front of the hand and it is flat as well, on off, Michael Jones reaches out and pushes it to cover. |
| 7.1 : Adil Rashid to Michael Jones, SIX! BANG! Thumped down the ground! Rashid loops it up, right in the slot, Michael Jones crouches and plants his front foot before tonking it over the bowler's head for a flat six. |
| 7.3 : Adil Rashid to George Munsey, Half a shout for caught behind but turned down. Jos Buttler has a word with Adil Rashid and takes the review. Did Munsey get an inside edge onto the pads? Or was there any glove as the ball lobbed up? There is nothing on UltraEdge. |
| 7.4 : Adil Rashid to George Munsey, Four! |
| 7.5 : Adil Rashid to George Munsey, SIX! Innovative and effective. Adil Rashid under immense pressure. |
| 7.6 : Adil Rashid to George Munsey, Full and sliding on the pads, swept through backward square leg for a single by George Munsey. An expensive first over from Adil Rashid, 18 runs off it. |
| 8.1 : Chris Jordan to George Munsey, Swing and a miss! Angling away, on a length, outside off, George Munsey goes deep in his crease and has a swipe across the line but gets beaten on the inside edge. |
| 8.2 : Chris Jordan to George Munsey, SIX! Picked up beautifully! |
| 8.3 : Chris Jordan to George Munsey, At pace, on off, fuller in length, George Munsey loses his shape slightly and hacks it off the inner half of the bat to deep mid-wicket for a run. |
| 8.4 : Chris Jordan to Michael Jones, Well bowled! Slanting in, on a good length, on off, Michael Jones can only pat this one back to the bowler. A precious dot. |
| 8.5 : Chris Jordan to Michael Jones, Leg bye! Attacks the pads and gets the ball to skid through, at 141.3 kph, Michael Jones goes for a heave to this length delivery but gets rushed in his shot and fails to connect. The ball rolls away off his pads to point for a leg bye. |
| 8.6 : Chris Jordan to George Munsey, Sloppy running but Michael Jones gets away with it! That could have been a very costly error. |
| 9.1 : Adil Rashid to Michael Jones, Turning away, on a nagging length, on off, Michael Jones punches it to deep cover for one. |
| 9.2 : Adil Rashid to George Munsey, Oh, that kept very low! |
| 9.3 : Adil Rashid to George Munsey, Gets the googly in, slower and shorter, on off, George Munsey picks it up and drags it to deep mid-wicket for a single. |
| 9.4 : Adil Rashid to Michael Jones, 1 run. |
| 9.5 : Adil Rashid to George Munsey, Nicely bowled, yet again! Does not offer any pace and it is short, on leg, George Munsey changes his stance again and hits it to mid on for a quick single. |
| 9.6 : Adil Rashid to Michael Jones, FOUR! A boundary to close out the innings and Scotland end with 90 on the board! Adil Rashid tosses it up, full and turning away, on off, Michael Jones rolls his wrists nicely and nails the slog sweep. Hits it wide of deep square leg for a boundary. Not a bad last over though from Rashid, 8 runs off it. |
| 0.0 : Scotland will be very happy with their batting effort. Pretty sure England will be needing to score over 10 per over. Yes, they do. The revised target for England is 109. Scotlandâs effort even after the rain break was a good one for them. They managed to add 39 runs in the 22 balls they had after the break. Also, it was the openers throughout, they started well and have helped them to end well too. |
| England were quite off with the ball! They just could not land it right and despite there being purchase off the surface, they failed to make most of it. They will be disappointed that they did not manage to take even a single wicket. However, they will need to put that behind and now the onus is on their batters. The target of 109 is going to be a stiff challenge but they do have the firepower. Scotland on the other hand, if they bowl well, they can defend this. For now though, the covers are g |
| UPDATE - 12.11 am IST (6.41 pm GMT, the previous day) - The rain has picked up and it is coming down really hard at the Kensington Oval. With 12.22 am IST (6.52 pm GMT, the previous day) being the cut-off time for a five-over chase, we do not have much time left and the chances of a resumption are looking pretty bleak. |
| So, the INEVITABLE HAS HAPPENED, the game has been CALLED OFF! Quite frustrating, to be honest, as this was shaping up to be a really good one. Yes, a lot of people would think, England would probably knock those runs off quickly, but the game could have gotten interesting if Scotland had bowled well on what was a two-paced pitch. Nevertheless, both teams will share points and open their accounts in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, 2024. |
| Time to hear from the captains... |
| The captain of England, Jos Buttler says he hopes for a dry day in their next game and get a full game. Adds it was a tough call to play Archer and Wood, they have good options and selection is a tough job. |
| The skipper of Scotland, Richie Berrington says that it is frustrating for everyone. Shares that the batters did a really job and they take positives from this effort. Feels that they had a chance on this pitch which had uneven bounce. Adds that had they bowled and fielded well, they had an opportunity. Opines that batting at the top of the order suits Michael Jones really well and that he and George Munsey make a good opening combination. |
| Right then, the rain has had the final say here in this clash between two European rivals. With this outcome, England's record of having never beaten a European team in Men's T20Is will continue. The action does not stop here, though, as the other game of the day between the Netherlands and Nepal is underway in Dallas. Having bowled the Asian side out for 106, the Dutch are going along nicely in their batting effort and look set to give their NRR an early boost. You can simply switch tabs and fo |
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