T20 World Cup 2022: Defiant Stokes lifts England to 5-wicket triumph over Pakistan in low-scoring final 

Ben Stokes (52* off 49) once again rose to the challenge on a big occasion as England beat Pakistan by five wickets in the T20 World Cup 2022 final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, November 13.

Chasing 138 for victory, England found themselves in trouble at 45 for three in the sixth over. However, Stokes held his nerve under pressure, adding a crucial 39 runs with Harry Brook (20 off 23) for the fourth wicket and 48 with Moeen Ali (19 off 13) for the fifth wicket.

England needed 41 in the last five overs to lift the T20 World Cup 2022. In a massive setback for Pakistan, their lead pacer Shaheen Afridi hobbled off the field after bowling one delivery in the 16th over. He hurt himself while taking a catch in the outfield.

Iftikhar Ahmed, who completed Shaheen’s over was slammed for four and six off the last two deliveries. The twin strikes left England with 28 to get off the last four overs. Moeen then launched the first two balls of the 17th over from Mohammad Wasim Jr. for fours to put England firmly in control.

The first was smacked over cover and the second pulled towards deep backward square leg. There was more luck for the chasing side as a top edge went for another boundary as Pakistan’s hopes of glory disappeared in a matter of a few balls.

Moeen perished to Wasim Jr in the penultimate over. However, Stokes guided England to World Cup glory by swinging the Pakistan pacer for a single through midwicket.

With the victory, Stokes’ T20 World Cup redemption was complete. He was slammed for four consecutive sixes by West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite during England's previous appearance in the T20 World Cup final in 2016. Following the triumph on Sunday, England now hold both the 50-over and T20 world titles in men’s cricket.

Defending a below-par total, Shaheen gave Pakistan an early lift, cleaning up Alex Hales (one). The left-arm seamer got one to shape back in sharply and beat the England opener’s swing across the line. Jos Buttler struck Naseem Shah for consecutive fours in the next over to calm nerves to an extent.

Haris Rauf brought the contest back to life by dismissing Phil Salt (10) before getting the massive scalp of Buttler (26 off 17). Salt was cramped for room on the pull and dragged his stroke to midwicket. Buttler kept playing and missing against Naseem in the fifth over although he managed to strike a six.

The England skipper’s luck eventually ran out as he poked at a delivery from Rauf that pitched in the corridor of uncertainty. The ball took a healthy nick and the Pakistan keeper did the rest. At 45/3, the T20 World Cup 2022 final was well and truly in the balance.

Stokes and Brook, however, batted sensibly as England reached a decent 77/3 at the halfway stage of their innings. Pakistan, though, did not give up. Shadab Khan bowled an excellent 11th over, conceding only two runs. Like in his previous over, Naseem kept beating the bat and gave away only three runs in the 12th over.

Frustration got the better of Brook as he lofted a tossed-up delivery from Shadab towards long-off, where Shaheen ran in and took a well-judged catch.

Brook’s dismissal ended a stubborn stand, which seemed to be lifting England towards the T20 World Cup title. In an ironic way, though, Shaheen’s catch ended up “hurting” Pakistan’s chance of winning the final.

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Curran claims 3/12 as England restrict Pakistan to 137/8

Sam Curran celebrates the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan. Pic: Getty Images

England left-arm seamer Sam Curran registered brilliant figures of 3/12 as Pakistan were held to 137/8 after losing the toss and being asked to bat first. Not a single Pakistan batter reached 40 as Adil Rashid (2/22) and Chris Jordan (2/27) also chipped in with impressive bowling efforts.

Pakistan got off to a nervous start, reaching an underwhelming 39/1 at the end of the powerplay. Mohammad Rizwan had a lucky escape in the first over as he attempted a non-existent run to mid-off, but Chris Jordan failed to hit the stumps at the bowler’s end.

The opening batter smashed a six off Chris Woakes, but perished in familiar fashion for 15 off 14, dragging a wide delivery from Curran back onto the stumps. Mohammad Haris, yet again, came in and looked to throw his bat at everything. This time, though, he did not succeed. He perished to Adil Rashid’s first ball, caught at long-on while trying to go after a tossed-up delivery.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam went into his shell and wasn’t able to break free. Luckily for the batting side, Shan Masood came in and hoicked Liam Livingstone for a four and a six in the 11th over. Rashid, however, kept England ahead in the game, sending Babar back (32 off 28 balls) with a caught and bowled dismissal. Babar looked to cut a ball that turned in sharply, but only managed to chip a simple catch to the bowler.

Stokes had Pakistan in further trouble as Iftikhar (0) poked at a rising delivery outside off and only managed a nick to the keeper. Masood and Shadab added 36 for the fifth wicket to lend some solidity to the Pakistan innings. However, both fell in quick succession, leaving the team in trouble again.

Masood (38 off 28) flicked Curran straight to midwicket, while Shadab (20 off 14) miscued a rising delivery from Jordan, which was banged into the pitch, to mid-off. Mohammad Nawaz (five) and Wasim Jr. (four) perished in the deep to Curran and Jordan respectively. Pakistan managed only one boundary in the last four overs of their innings as England’s bowlers completely stifled them.

As expected, Pakistan fought hard with the ball, but the lack of runs coupled with the injury to Shaheen crippled their dreams of lifting the T20 World Cup for a second time.