Australia, Pakistan warm-up tie rained off at Edgbaston
NEWDELHI: Rain played spoilsport as the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 warm-up game between Australia and Pakistan was abandoned with only 10.2 overs bowled, at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Monday.
Opting to bat, Australia were cruising at 57 for one wicket when the skies opened up. There was a long delay following which the officials decided the conditions were no longer good to complete the game, abandoning it.
Defending champions India will face Pakistan in their opening Champions Trophy Group B game at Edgbaston on June 4.
Australia started well despite the loss of explosive opener David Warner (11) in the fifth over. Warner had only faced eight balls, in which he hit two lovely boundaries, before he was caught behind off a swinging delivery from Mohammad Amir.
The left-arm Pakistani pacer was on song and conceded nine runs from the four overs he bowled, picking up a wicket.
Aaron Finch, 30, looked solid on a run-a-ball 36, which included seven boundaries. Finch looked set to score a big one when rain intervened. Australia skipper Steve Smith (8) was the other batsman. Left-arm medium pace bowler Fahim Ashraf and leftarm spinner Imad Wasim had bowled five overs, giving 42 runs.
Pakistan pace bowler Junaid Khan was bowling his second over when rain stopped play.
The match was reduced to a 34-over game after rain delayed the toss and start.
Australia will start their campaign against New Zealand in Birmingham on June 2 before the India-Pakistan clash at the venue.