| Men’s T20 World Cup Final, Melbourne |
| Pakistan 137-8 (20 overs): Masood 38 (28); Curren 3-12, Rashid 2-22 |
| England 138-5 (19 overs): Stokes 52* (49); 2-23 up |
| England gained by 5 wickets |
| Achievement: |
England gained the Men’s T20 World Cup by defeating Pakistan by 5 wickets in an exhilarating last in Melbourne to develop into world champions twice.
Chasing 138 in entrance of a rousing Pakistan-supporting crowd, they fell for 45–3 and 84–4 amid lightning-fast bowling.
But, beneath immense stress on the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, Ben Stokes scored an unbeaten 52 to jot down himself additional into the folklore of English cricket.
He was there on the finish, as he had been three years earlier within the last of the 2019 50-over World Cup, as this white-ball facet delivered one in every of English cricket’s greatest victories.
As the equation tightened, Stokes took benefit of a brutal damage from Pakistan left-hander Shaheen Afridi to assist England win with six balls to spare.
The victory, because of very good bowling performances from Sam Curran and Adil Rashid, meant England turned the primary crew to win the lads’s 20 and 50-over world titles.
This can be his second T20 World title after successful the West Indies in 2010.
Stokes places England over the road once more
He roared as Stokes walked again after scoring the successful run – his celebration harking back to his different iconic innings within the 2019 Ashes Test at Headingley.
He was quickly surrounded by his team-mates earlier than working to have fun in entrance of some England followers amid this large crowd of 80,462.
The pitch was troublesome however their bowling efficiency restricted Pakistan to 137-8, with England trying sturdy favourites.
England, nonetheless, is aware of that the ultimate is rarely straightforward. His expertise at Lord’s in 2019 confirmed this.
Pakistan have one of the best tempo assault on this planet and the chase turned out to be an enormous crowd as wickets fell.
It can be a weekend by which England’s Red Roses misplaced within the Rugby Union World Cup Final and the lads’s rugby league crew misplaced within the World Cup semi-finals.
But Stokes remained calm all through, even because the equation received all the way down to a place the place 41 was wanted from 30 balls.
His innings additionally evoked reminiscences of the 2016 T20 World Cup last, when he was crushed by Carlos Brathwaite for 4 consecutive sixes within the last over as West Indies lifted the title.
Shaheen’s damage proves important
Pakistan – and the gang – felt their second when, with 54 wanted from 45, Harry Brook dismissed leg-spinner Shadab Khan straight to lengthy off.
But in England’s first over he injured himself taking a catch of Shaheen, who was bowled by Alex Hales – a second that proved essential.
He returned to the sphere to bowl sixteenth however after a ball he left the sphere with a limp.
It left part-time spinner Iftikhar Ahmed to complete the over and Stokes took his probability, hitting a 4 by way of additional cowl and a six to deliver the sport beneath England’s management.
Moeen Ali hit quick bowler Mohammad Wasim for 3 fours within the subsequent over and the end result was virtually secured, despite the fact that Moeen was bowled within the nineteenth over.
Pakistan’s quick bowlers can take a number of the blame. Harris Rauf caught England captain Jos Buttler for 26 and Phil Salt at mid-wicket in an exhilarating spell.
He and Naseem Shah, who one way or the other went wicketless in 4 sensational overs, did all they might to safe Pakistan’s second T20I title.
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With inputs from BBC
