Rain Forces Abandonment of First T20I

New Zealand 2 for 1 vs Pakistan (match called off due to rain)

The first T20I clash between Pakistan and New Zealand was tarnished by endless rain, ultimately leading to the abandonment of the match. Despite initial efforts to recover play, the stormy weather proved to be impossible.

The day commenced with an uncertain weather forecast, prompting a half-hour delay in the toss due to intermittent rain. New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first, but their hopes were quickly dampened as the heavens opened once more, resulting in a prolonged delay.

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After nearly three hours of waiting, a brief respite from the rain offered a glimmer of hope for a limited 5-overs-a-side encounter. Shaheen Shah Afridi's fiery inswinger provided an early breakthrough, dismissing debutant Tim Robinson. However, the respite was short-lived, with the rain resuming shortly after.

With no further opportunity to resume play, the umpires were left with no choice but to call off the game, prompting both teams to shake hands in acknowledgement of the unfortunate turn of events.

As the toss taking place, spectators will not be eligible for ticket refunds under PCB policy.

The match saw the debut of four players, with Pakistan awarding T20I caps to Usman Khan, Irfan Khan, Abrar Ahmed, and the unfortunate Robinson from the Kiwis.

The second T20I of the series is slated to take place in Rawalpindi on Saturday, where both teams will hope for better weather conditions to facilitate a full match.