T20 World Cup Super 12 match HIGHLGHTS: NZ vs AFG match abandoned; WATCH IRE vs ENG HIGHLIGHTS

New Zealand vs Afghanistan match was abandoned due to incessant rain in Melbourne. Both teams share one point each.

With 10 mins to go for the official inspection, It's started raining again and that too heavier than previous occasion. We are heading big delay now.

Rain has stopped at MCG and the next inspection will be at 21:00 local time (3:30 PM IST)

The rains getting heavier at Melourne and we are starting to lose overs now. Hoping to get some cricket.

There is no news from Melbourne Cricket Ground at the moment. When last visuals came in from The G, the square was covered and dark clouds were hovering around the stadium.

New Zealand vs Afghanistan match will be played at the same venue, where England and Ireland locked horns, The Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The light drizzle that halted ENG vs IRE match and subequently, the Irish winning the match, has turned into a proper rain.

New Zealand vs Afghanistan was scheduled to start at 1:30 PM IST and due to rain the toss has been delayed. 

So the rain continues and Ireland pulls off the first upset of the Super 12 stage. 

England were five runs behind the DLS score at 14.3 overs. 

Nasser Hussain confirms on air that if play doesn't start by 18:56 local time (1:26 PM IST), DLS will decide the fate of the contest.
And currently, Ireland are winning by 5 runs. What an upset it will be!

Delany continues from the other end and Moeen Ali slaps the first straight down the ground for a SIX. Moeen Ali hits the second ball towards deep extra cover for a couple of runs. With rain coming down, Moeen smashes the third towards long-off for FOUR.

And the rain stops play, England are five runs behind the DLS method. If play doesn't resume, Ireland are going to win this match. If the match doesn't resume in 10-15 mins, THIS GAME IS DONE.

Also the second match is also to be played at same venue.

Barry McCarthy [2.0-0-14-0] is back into the attack and gets the wicket of Malan off the first ball. Malan c Fionn Hand b McCarthy 35(37) [4s-2]

Liam Livingstone, right-handed bat, comes to the crease and collects a single off the 3rd delivery.

Moeen Ali hammers the 5th ball over mid-off for FOUR.

McCarthy concedes seven runs in the over.

Delany continues and concedes five singles off the first five deliveries. Moeen Ali smashes the last ball straight down the ground for FOUR. England are making good progress in the past two overs, getting at least one boundary each in the over. And keeping the required runrate in check.

ENG 86/4 (13) CRR: 6.53 REQ: 10.54
England need 72 runs in 42 balls

Little is back into the attack and Moeen Ali collects a single off the first ball. Malan gets an inside edge off the 3rd delivery and the ball flies down to the fine leg boundary for FOUR.

Little concedes nine runs in the over.

ENG 77/4 (12) CRR: 6.42 REQ: 10.12
England need 81 runs in 48 balls

Dockrell is introduced into the attack after the drinks break. He produces a wicket opportunity off the first ball as Brooks mistimes the full delivery straight to long-on but Adair drops a SITTER. A single taken.

Malan tries to go over extra cover off the second but he mistimes too but this time Delany drops a tough chance at sweeper cover, two runs taken.

Harry Brook goes for a biggie off the 5th deliveru but holed out to deep mid-wicket, GONE. Finally Ireland takes a catch. Harry Brook c Delany b Dockrell 18(21) [4s-1]

England 68-4 after 11 overs

Hand is brought back into the attack and the oacer starts with a WIDE down the leg side. Hand follows up with hard-length delivery, Malan pulls it but fails to get the desired timing. One run taken as ball falls in no man land.

Hand beats Brooks with a peach of delivery off the 2nd ball but he over compensate in the next, bowls an over-pitch delivery. Brooks smashes it over mid-off for FOUR.

A good over for England as they get 10 runs in the over/

England 63-3 after 10 overs. England need 95 runs in 60 balls (CRR: 6.3  REQ: 9.5).

Delany continues from the other end and starts with three dot balls, not allowing to use long-handle to great effect. Brooks hits the 4th ball down the ground for a single.

Delany concedes only five runs in the over. England need 105 runs in 66 balls ( CRR: 5.89 REQ: 9.55).

WEATHER ALERT: Rain Clouds are hovering around Melbourne Cricket Ground. DLS method could be used if rains arrive.

Barry McCarthy [1.0-0-10-0] is back into the attack and the pacer concedes only four runs in the over. Brook tries to hit big runs on multiple occasions but he was beaten by bounce and McCarthy's variations.

England 48-3 after 8 overs

Ireland have introduced Gareth Delany, a leg-break bowler, after the end of the powerplay. The leggie starts with two DOT deliveries. However, Malan gets a lucky boundary off the 4th delivery as he edges the full ball through the vacant slip cordon for FOUR.

Delany concedes 7 runs in the over. England 44-3 after 7 overs

Fionn Hand, right-arm medium, comes into the attack and starts with a WIDE down the leg side. But he comes back brilliantly and cleans up Ben Stokes with an inswinger. Stokes has no clue as the ball went through the gap between bat and ball.

Harry Brook, right handed bat, comes to the crease and cuts the third delivery towards the deep backward point for three runs.

England 37-3 after 6 overs. Ireland were 59-1 at the end of the powerplay

After losing two early wickets, Ben Stokes and Dawid Malan are trying to rebuild England's innings by scoring boundaries on freebies but mostly concentrating on taking singles and doubles. The ball is moving around and Irish bowlers are making full use of that, beating Stokes and Malan on multiple occasions.

England 28-2 after 5 overs

England 

Joshua Little provides Ireland with the much-needed breakthrough upfront, getting the prized wicket of Jos Buttler off the second delivery in the first over. 

Dawid Malan and Alex Hales are the crease. 

Any hope for posting a big total was throttled by Livingstone spell of 3 overs, in which he scalped three wickets for just 17 runs.

Before that Mark Wood produced a brilliant display of fast bowling, and broke the 82-run stand for the second wicket. 

Ireland would be disappointed for not making the most of the good start they got as they were bundled out for 157 runs with 5 balls to spare.

England staged a brilliant comeback in the second half of the Ireland innings as Liam Livingstone took two back-to-back wickets in the 16th over and returned again in the 18th to get his third wicket of the match. 

From 132-4 in 16th over, Ireland slumped to 156-9 in just 3 overs. With sun out in Melbourne, Ireland might not get the swing, England got early on

Sad end of Lockran Tucker's innings!!

As it seems the pair of Tucker & Balbirine would take the game away from England, an unlucky runout incident ended Tucker;s stay in the middle. 

Balbirine straight drive hits Adil Rashid's and hits the stumps of non-striker's end. Tucker was way outside the crease, GONE. Tucker run out (Adil Rashid) 34(27) [4s-3 6s-1]

England sniff that there is a chance to make a comeback and Buttler brings Mark Wood in the attack next over. He finds the edge of Harry Tector and provides England second wicket in a span of three balls.

Ireland 108-3 after 12.4 overs

With a 71-run stand in 45 balls, Tucker and Balbirine have put Ireland in a tremendous position. At drinks break, Ireland are 92-1 in 10 overs and if they continue to play the way they are playing England could have to chase a big total, which will give Ireland all the opportunity stage an upset.

However, it has been seen in the ongoing T20 World Cup, the complexion of the game changes after the drinks break in most of the matches. Fingers crossed.

Ireland are off to a flying start despite losing Paul Stirling in the 3rd over. 

The pair of Locran Tucker and Andrew Balbirine stitched a quick fire stand of over 40 runs, propelling Ireland to 59-1 at the end of powerplay.

NO OVERS LOST!!

Chirs Woakes completes his over with two dots and a boundary off the last delivery.

Ireland 15-0 after 2 overs.

Chris Woakes shares the new ball with Stokes.

Stirling carves the full delivery outside off towards third man boundary at the start of over. 

Woakes replies with two peach of deliveries and Stirling is beaten comprehensively.

He throws his bat to the wide and full delivery, 3rd ball, towards extra cover for three runs.

AND ITS STARTED RAINING AGAIN. This time a bit heavy, the covers are coming on. We are heading for a long delay. 

REMEMBER: The second game of the day will be played at the same venue. So we are going to lose the overs in 30 mins time and 18 mins have already past.

Stirling and Balbirnie are at the crease. Stirling takes the strike. Stokes opens the attack and concedes three runs in the first over

It is frustrating!!

As the play is about to start again, it starts raining again. There is a light drizzle. 

It was a light drizzle and the England vs Ireland match will begin at 9:45 am IST. With overcast conditions and rain predicted throughout the day, it won't come as a surprise if there is stop and start of play during the course of the game.

But the good news at the moment is we are going to see cricket and it has been not a big delay at the start of play. 

So as the play is about to start, it started raining and the start of England vs Ireland match delayed. Let's hope it is a passing shower and the match starts at the earliest However, the forecast suggests there are chances of rainfall throughout the evening in Melbourne.

Notably, the second match of the day, New Zealand vs Afghanistan, will take place at the same venue, Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Ireland (Playing XI): Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Fionn Hand, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little.

England (Playing XI): Jos Buttler(w/c), Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Jos Buttler wins toss and elects to bowl first under overcast conditions.

Against Afghanistan, the new ball was given to Ben Stokes. After seeing the pacers swing the new ball on Sunday, England might want to remain with that strategy. When the ball is swinging, Stokes performs at his best with it.

England and Ireland have met each other only once in the T20 World Cups. And that match in 2010 was abandoned due to rain. 

Ireland Squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie(c), Lorcan Tucker(w), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little, Stephen Doheny, Conor Olphert, Graham Hume, Fionn Hand

England Squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Jos Buttler(w/c), Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Philip Salt, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Tymal Mills

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of ICC T20 World Cup 2022. England and Ireland clash in the first match of the day while New Zealand and Afghanistan lock horns in the second match. Stay tuned with us for all the live updates from both the matches here.