Liam Plunkett said England would be a “better team” if Jofra Archer made it to their World Cup squad, after his fellow fast bowler again impressed on international duty.

Archer continued his late bid for a World Cup berth with a hostile opening spell against Pakistan at The Oval on Wednesday.

He took one wicket and conceded just six runs in four overs before rain meant there was no result in the first ODI of the five-match series. The Sussex fast bowler’s display was a rare highlight in a mere 19 overs’ cricket before the Day-Night fixture was finally called off amid concerns over player safety on a heavily wet outfield.

Pakistan were 80 for two, with Imam-ul-Haq 42 not out and Haris Sohail 14 not out.

Barbados-born Archer was not included in England’s preliminary squad for the World Cup, but could force his way into their final 15 via his displays in this five-match series.

“He’s obviously a class act,” Plunkett, one of England’s established quicks, told reporters afterwards. “He showed in this game that he’s rocked up and bowled really nicely with pace and smashed the right good areas, picked up a wicket in the first few overs, beating the left-hander (Imam) on the outside edge.”

Plunkett, England’s other wicket-taker in a four-over spell of one for 27 on what is now his Surrey home ground, added: “It looks easy for Jofra. He ambles in and bowls 93 mph, he makes it look effortless.”

Questions have been raised about the effect on team morale of catapulting Archer, only recently qualified on residency grounds, into England’s World Cup squad. But Plunkett said: “With him in your squad, we’re going to be a better team.

“Whoever performs best should be in the squad. If it wasn’t Jofra, someone else would be knocking on the door... If they come in and bowl well, they deserve to be there.”

Archer showed glimpses of his ability while making ODI and T20I debuts against Ireland and Pakistan last week. On Tuesday, former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff said “anyone” should be dropped to make sure Archer had a place in the World Cup squad.

Archer seized his latest chance after England captain Eoin Morgan won Wednesday’s delayed toss at The Oval. He started with a superb maiden over to Imam, generating movement off the pitch at sharp pace.

It was not long before Archer dismissed Fakhar Zaman for three after he edged to Test skipper Joe Root in the slips.

Michael Vaughan says he will be “staggered” if Archer plays no part in this season’s Ashes series even though the fast bowler has yet to make his Test debut for England.

“I would be absolutely staggered if he’s not taking part in the Ashes series as well as the World Cup,” Vaughan told reporters in London on Thursday.

“He’s just got a gift and when you get that kind of quality you have to get those players involved in all formats of the game,” the former England captain added.