England and Pakistan’s preparations for the T20 World Cup hit a snag on Tuesday, May 28, as the third match of their four-match T20I series was abandoned due to rain in Cardiff. The washout means neither team has played competitive cricket since the first T20I in Leeds was also rained out on May 26.
Persistent showers in Cardiff prevented the toss from taking place, leaving players from both teams frustrated at Sophia Gardens. England faced an additional challenge with the absence of their captain, Jos Buttler, who took a break to welcome the birth of his third child.
Both England and Pakistan lack scheduled warm-up matches for the T20 World Cup, set to begin on June 1 in the USA and the West Indies. Along with New Zealand, they are among the few teams without official warm-up games before the tournament.
England and Pakistan hope for better weather for the fourth T20I on Thursday at the Kennington Oval in London, though the forecast remains uncertain. Pakistan arrived in England after a three-match T20I series in Ireland, while England players returned home post-Indian Premier League commitments. Pakistan also hosted New Zealand for a five-match T20I series during the IPL.
England will start their T20 World Cup campaign against Scotland on June 4 in Barbados. Pakistan will open against co-hosts USA in New York on June 6, followed by a highly anticipated match against arch-rivals India on June 9.
