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| First Twenty20, Emirates Old Trafford |
| England 131-6 (16.1 overs): Banton 71 (42), Imad 2-31, Shadab 2-33 |
| Pakistan: Did not hit |
| Party abandoned by rain |
| Scorekeeper |
Tom Banton announced himself on the international stage with a thrilling 71 of 42 balls before rain swept through England’s first Twenty20 against Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford.
The 21-year-old became the youngest England player to score a T20 half century when he hit four fours and five sixes.
His start was the first of four wickets to fall for 14 races, shortly before rain intervened with England 131-6 after 16.1 overs.
Play was interrupted at 21:00 BST, although better weather is forecast for the second T20 of the three-game series on the same field on Sunday.
That game will air live on BBC One at 1:45 p.m., the return of live cricket to the BBC for the first time in 21 years.
Banton dazzles amid England’s struggle
Banton, one of the most devastating limited hitters on the county circuit, had fifty loners to show for in his first nine games for England in one-day cricket and T20.
There was little early on in Manchester to suggest that he would buck that trend, rejected by Iftikhar Ahmed, a regulation slip shot, in five and struggling to time on a two-step pitch after watching Jonny Bairstow punch the game’s fifth installment. . going back to Imad Wasim.
The fact that England’s first 50 races took 49 balls, their slowest start since the last T20 World Cup, reflected the lack of fluidity of Banton and Dawid Malan.
The next 50 produced just 19 installments, largely thanks to Banton’s brilliance.
If leg thrower Shadab Khan’s three leg-side sixes demonstrated his reach and power, the casual ramp on the fine six-leg of Haris Rauf, Pakistan’s fastest bowler, demonstrated his striking range and astonishing coordination. hand-eye.
Having been involved in a mix-up that left Malan stranded in the middle of the pitch and he missed out for 23, Banton skipped a leading edge to cover while aiming across the line in the 13th over.
Eoin Morgan was ready on the sweep to Iftikhar moments later, Moeen Ali was caught behind trying to cut Shadab, and Lewis Gregory was stumped advancing on Imad.
The impact of England’s slide from 109-2 to 123-6 was such that they were arguably the happiest of the teams when the rain came at 7:20 pm.
‘It was fun’
Going to fifty in 33 balls, Banton took the record held by Jonny Bairstow, who was 22 when he made his first T20 half-century for England.
“I’m always going to play that way, whatever happens,” the Somerset Banton hitter told the BBC Test Match Special.
“It was a lot of fun tonight and sadly the rain took us over.”
Banton had managed just 56 races in three T20s since making his England debut in New Zealand in November.
“It’s a little bit of confidence to move on because I haven’t had that in the past,” he said.
“I was in Pakistan for the PSL (Pakistani Super League) and I didn’t do well, so I was a little worried going into this game.
“They played very well up front and it was tough. I went after some of their players and I beat them.”
