Moeen Ali made a spectacular entrance into the ICC World Twenty20 tournament but a thunderstorm meant his efforts proved in vain as England lost their opening group encounter to New Zealand via the Duckworth-Lewis method in Chittagong.
The Worcestershire all-rounder, batting at number three, hammered 36 off just 23 balls before being caught on the mid wicket bundary off Kiwi all-rounder Corey Anderson.
Moeen hammered Kyle Mills for 4-6-4 off successive balls and then pulled two boundaries in Tim Southee's first over during a second wicket stand of 72 in seven overs with Michael Lumb.
Moeen finished as his side's top scorer as England reached 172-6 in their 20 overs after being put into bat.
Moeen then bowled a tidy first over when New Zealand batted, conceding seven runs including four from a misfield.
But the elements had the final say and New Zealand were ahead of the required run rate under Duckworth Lewis at 52-1 from 5.2 overs when lightning and heavy rain drove the players from the pitch – and they would not return.
It was not the result England were looking for and in the other game in their group, Sri Lanka overcame South Africa by five runs.
