Full and outside off, drives it through cover where the fielder dives over it to get going.
8.58pm: Match abandoned, the rain has won here, meaning neither Warriors or Capitals will win tonight - despite a superb start with the ball by the former. Both teams are struggling in the bottom half of the table, and will only take home a point tonight. Anyway, that's your lot, we'll be back for more tomorrow. From Suds, Thilak and myself, cheerio!
8.50pm: While we wait for word on whether the weather is going play ball (and let us play ball)... Why not check out Junaid Siddique's two-in-two from earlier?
Afeef: "Still can't get over how ADKR were losing match after match and it was the rain that gave them their first point."
8.30pm: Still no signs of action in Sharjah. Re. the question about rain, Sudarshanan informs me that Laxman Sivaramakrishnan referred on commentary to some cloud-seeding going on the UAE - more info here. Sounds like the Emirates Cricket Board need to remind the authorities there's a lucrative T20 league going on!
"Rain as soon as England players leave," mutters Olly. "Coincidence? I smell a conspiracy."
And here's Quack: "@Kishkindha, Ahem, the latter. Although as a UAE resident, we ain't complaining. And while we're here, why isn't Root playing?" Believe his DC stint is done - although he's not in the England ODI squad playing SA. Probably part of his NOC that he gets on with preparing for Tests in NZ next month
8.05pm: Evening, franchiseheads. Sadly there's no good news to pass on at the moment. Seemingly the rain continues to fall in Sharjah, and we're having to be satisfied by replays of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders against Desert Vipers...
"Rain a spoiler in Sharjah? In Sharjah, I repeat. What a pity! UAE's USP for hosting international tourneys like IPL was that it's a desert where rain can't be a disruptor. What has changed? Is it climate change or top class environmental changes ushered in by UAE? Any answers?" No idea, Kishkindha. Putting three stumps in the ground usually does it where I'm from
7:42pm And now the players are off again. The rain is just getting heavier and the ground-staff runs to quickly get the centre under covers. The only solace for now that it is not too heavy.
Over to Alan Gardner for a bit now. Let him know your thoughts on how it has all been so far.
Full and outside off, he lunges to play at that before belatedly withdrawing his bat.
Sikandar Raza is in before the powerplay ends...
Shanaka is out of here now! Bowls it from wide of the crease and spears it full and just outside off. Forces Shanaka to play at that. He pushes it away from himself, straight, and gets a nick behind. Gurbaz takes a good, low catch.
The rain seems to be getting heavier...
Angles it in again, from outside off. He is camped in the crease and misses his attempted steer.
Length ball outside off, swerves in after landing. Shanaka looks to punch it through the off side but misses.
Full and angles it in from wide of the crease. Powell defends it around the corner on the on side via the inside half.
Anticipates the batter to give the charge and bangs it short. Shanaka does take a couple of steps down but adjusts to half-pull it wide of mid-on for a couple.
Full on off and middle, pushed to mid-on.
Lands it on a length around off, he defends from the crease.
Outside off on a length, slapped towards cover-point.
Sprays this on a length down leg. He misses the tuck.
Second slip comes in. Man moves from midwicket.
Shanaka shimmies down the track before the bowler completes the run up, and looks to push at a length ball that swings away. Beaten.
Full and outside off, swings away. Shanaka defends it from the crease and comfortably misses it. Goes on the bounce to the wicketkeeper.
Siddique on a hat-trick... Dasun Shanaka to face. And drizzle is back...
Kishkindha: "What a toss to win by the Warriors! Ideal conditions for pacers to cut through the opposition side like hot knife through butter and Sharjah bowlers are doing that precisely."
Top shot. Uses the pace of the ball and rides the bounce well. Short and outside off, chops it in front of backward point and finds the gap.
Length ball outside off, defended towards cover-point.
Short and wide outside off, he looks to reach out and slash but misses.
Rovman Powell might not have expected to be in the middle this early.
Soft, soft dismissal and Lawrence cannot believe it! He is standing on leg and takes a giant step across to off. Tries to drive on the up on seeing the width. It is full and wide outside off, and all he does is chip it aerially for mid-off to dive to his left and pouch it safely.
Around the sixth-stump line on a length, Lawrence pushes it to cover.
Full and outside off, Lawrence walks across and whips it forward of square on the leg side for a couple.
Two in two for Siddique and Rajapaksa does not even bother to wait. Spears it full and on off, gets it to move back in sharply. Rajapaksa was forward in a bid to try to defend that and failed to counter the movement. Hits him plumb on the front pad. What a start for Warriors.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa is the next batter in. Another left-hander.
Over 5 • DC 17/4