Aus-Pak warm-up match called off due to rain

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan was deprived of an opportunity to warm-up and test all the players ahead of the formal commencement of ICC Champions Trophy as Pakistan’s match against Australia was washed out due to heavy rains.

Heavy rains forced players at Edgbaston to rush back to the pavilion after only 10.2 overs of play. Australia scored 57 runs for one wicket when play was stopped.

Earlier, Australia had opted to bat after winning the toss in the rain-hit match, which was curtailed to 34 overs per innings.

Mohammad Aamir dismissed David Warner for 11, the only Australian wicket to fall before the match was called off by umpires.

Aaron Finch was playing at 36 and Steven Smith was not out with 8 runs against his name on the scoreboard.

Young gun Fahim Ashraf’s blitzkrieg knock of 64 not out off 30 balls powered Pakistan to an unlikely, two-wicket win over Bangladesh in their first warm-up game on Saturday.

Fahim, along with Hassan Ali, added an unbeaten 93 for the 9th wicket as Pakistan fought back from 249/8 to 342/8 in 39 deliveries.

The team will formally kick off its Champions Trophy campaign with match against archrivals India on Sunday.