Rain ruins tour opener after wild start against Pakistan

Australia's hopes of finding their groove in the T20I format ahead of the Commonwealth Games will have to wait at least another day after persistent rain in Derry washed out their first T20I against Pakistan.

Just as Alana King looked set to skittle Pakistan's batting order, snaring three wickets in her first over, the rain that had already delayed proceedings and reduced the match to 19 overs a side returned, forcing players off the field.

Just eight overs were bowled, with Pakistan collapsing to 6-56, with 28 of those runs coming from extras.

Leg-spinner King was thrown the ball by captain Meg Lanning in the seventh over after a frenetic Powerplay that saw Australia take three wickets, but also concede 21 extras.

King, adjusting her leg-spin to suit the damp conditions, bowled a shorter length to remove middle-order batters Kainat Imtiaz, Ayesha Naseem and Aliya Riaz all lbw, and take the wind out of Pakistan's sails after a promising start saw them reach 3-37 after five overs.

The three wickets came in consecutive legal deliveries, but a a leg-side wide following the first dismissal cost King a hat-trick.

Speaking after the match was abandoned, King explained how she was able to adapt to the unfamiliar conditions.

"It was a little bit wet and slippery but there was a big slope on the wicket so it was just more adjusting to that," King said.

"I'm happy to have the ball in my hand in any situation to be honest so it was good to roll a few out.

"We figured out that anything full was easy to play so we just needed to bring our length back a little bit and make sure that we bring the stumps into play. It was a tricky wicket that was sliding on sometimes, then some were gripping, so we knew if we hit our lengths early we'd be right in the contest."

Australia's other wicket-takers were Megan Schutt, who delivered a trademark hooping in-swinger to knock over Pakistan opener Imram Javed, and off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner, who recovered after conceding boundaries off her first two deliveries to take 2-11.

Ahead of the match, Lanning confirmed off-spinning allrounder Grace Harris's inclusion in the Australian line-up after speculation around who would replace Jess Jonassen, who tested positive to COVID-19 ahead of the team's departure for the United Kingdom last week.

Image Id: E36015B1803947C8A06FD05778682AEB Image Caption: Gardner picked up two wickets in her two overs // Getty

As expected, Ellyse Perry was on the sidelines, with an ongoing back injury restricting her to batting only.

With the mercury on Sunday predicted to reach 28 degrees Celsius, Australia will have another opportunity in the T20 format against hosts Ireland at Bready Cricket Club.

They will open their Comm Games campaign against India in Birmingham on July 29.

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Nicola Carey, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

Pakistan XI: Bismah Maroof (c), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wk), Iram Javed, Ayesha Naseem, Nida Dar, Aliya Riaz, Kainat Imtiaz, Fatima Sana, Tuba Hassan, Diana Baig, Anam Amin

Australia's Tour of the UK, 2022

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

T20 Tri-Series

Ireland squad: Laura Delany (c), Ava Canning, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron

Pakistan squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gul Feroza, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Tuba Hassan

July 16: Australia v Pakistan - No result

July 17: Australia v Ireland

July 19: Ireland v Pakistan

July 21: Australia v Ireland

July 23: Australia v Pakistan

July 24: Ireland v Pakistan

All matches start 4pm local time (1am AEST) and played at Bready Cricket Club, Derry, Northern Ireland

Australia’s T20 tri-series matches will be broadcast in Australia on Foxtel and Kayo, while the games between Pakistan and Ireland can be watched via live stream here. 

2022 Commonwealth Games

July 29 v India (11am local time, 8pm AEST)

July 31 v Barbados (6pm local, 3am Aug 1 AEST)

August 3 v Pakistan (11am local, 8pm AEST)

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

Semi-finals: August 6, 11am local (8pm AEST) and 6pm local (3am Aug 7 AEST)

Bronze medal match: August 7, 10am local (7pm AEST)

Gold medal match: August 7, 5pm local (2am Aug 8 AEST)

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium