With the cutoff time for play set at 7.30 pm local time, match officials waited until shortly before 6 pm before pulling the plug on the contest.

England may well not mind, however, after spending nearly 38 hours travelling from London to Guwahati with lengthy layovers in between.

They will get a chance to fine-tune their skills with a game against Bangladesh on Monday ahead of their tournament opener on Thursday, where Jos Buttler’s side will meet 2019 runners-up New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

India play the Netherlands on Tuesday before heading into the showpiece event, where they are targeting their third title.

Meanwhile, five-times champions Australia were also left frustrated as rain delayed the start of their contest with the Netherlands.

It was the second warm-up encounter in the south Indian city to be affected, after South Africa’s match against Afghanistan was abandoned a day earlier.