Dubai-raised Mahika Gaur makes England debut and UAE beat Bhutan

Having spent her formative years in cricket in Dubai, Mahika Gaur will rarely have experienced rainfall at all.

There are plenty of things the teenage fast bowler will have to get used to having switched her allegiance from the UAE to England. Maybe chief among them will be having to dodge showers.

The former Dubai College schoolgirl made a fine impression on her debut for England in a rain-affected win over Sri Lanka on Thursday night.

The start to the T20 international in Hove in the south of the UK was delayed by drizzle.

Ahead of a revised 17-over game, she was handed her cap by Kate Cross, her Thunder teammate who has played a key role in her switch from Dubai to England.

She was forced to wait to get into the action after Sri Lanka opted to bowl first. England amassed an impressive 186 for four in their 17 overs, built on a brisk half century by Alex Capsey.

Gaur bowled the second over of the reply, ahead of which she was high-fived by a number of her teammates, while Cross patted her on the back and offered words of encouragement.

Gaur’s first ball was a nervy one, erring slightly down the leg side for three wides, but her second provided a glimpse as to why the 17-year-old quick is so highly regarded.

Vishmi Gunaratne played and missed at a big inswinger, which prompted an appeal from all the England players as it thudded into her pads. The appeal was rebuffed, and England opted not to review.

Having bowled one ball of her second over, the players were forced from the field by another heavy shower.

When they returned, Sri Lanka’s target was revised down to 68 runs in six overs. They fell short, reaching just 55 for three, but the second passage of play was chiefly memorable for Gaur’s first wicket in new colours.