England’s campaign in the T20 World Cup stuttered early when suffered a shock loss to neighbours Ireland. But Jos Buttler’s boys regrouped with renewed motivation to take control of their fate and capped with a fine performance in the final on Sunday.
“This is the icing on the cake, to win the T20 World Cup, just immensely proud. A long journey and a few changes, but we’re reaping the rewards. It has been a fantastic tournament... (Series in) Pakistan was a valuable time for the group, but this is a way away from the Ireland game,” Buttler said after the five-wicket victory.
England bowled well first, with Sam Curran (3/12) and Adil Rashid (2/22) giving them an upper hand, and then Ben Stokes (52 not out off 49 balls) ensured they did not choke in chasing the 138-run target.
“Adil’s always the guy we throw the ball to, to make something happen. It wasn’t easy at all, got away to a decent start which controlled the runrate, and that man Ben Stokes was there at the end.
“Stoke’s the ultimate competitor. In anything he does, a hell of a lot of experience to bank on, he timed it (the chase) perfectly,” Buttler said in praise.
Curran, who was adjudged Player of the Match and Series, thought Stokes was the best player of the match. “I don’t think I should be getting this, the way Stokesy played there... we’re going to enjoy this occasion, very special.”
‘20 runs short’
Pakistan captain Babar Azam, on the other hand, was proud of his team’s performance and regretted the injury to pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, which he thought cost them the match on Sunday.
“We were probably 20 runs short with the bat, but we started well with the ball in the first six overs and made a comeback in the middle overs,” Babar said. “Unfortunately, Shaheen got injured and that shifted the match in England’s favour. It could have been a different result but for Shaheen’s injury.”
Afridi, whose two-over spell of 13-1 included the wicket of England’s in-form opener Alex Hales, returned to the field after getting treatment but could bowl only one delivery before hobbling off.
Spinner Iftikhar Ahmed stepped in to complete the over and was hit for a six and a four by Ben Stokes.
Babar was happy with how Pakistan returned from the brink of elimination to reach the final. “We did not start well but we grabbed our opportunity and won four matches,” he said. “It’s always sad to reach the final and not win, and we had the same outcome in the Asia Cup. But of course, we are proud we made the final.”
Talking point
Right moves
Right from winning an important toss, Jos Buttler got almost everything correct as England limited Pakistan to 137 for 8 in Sunday’s final. The England skipper again brought Sam Curran into the attack early and the latter responded quickly by removing Mohammad Rizwan in the fifth over.
For the enterprising Mohammad Haris, Buttler trusted the wily Adil Rashid, and the latter delivered. Thereafter, Buttler brought Curran back just at the right time when Shan Masood and Shadab Khan were looking to give Pakistan a move-on in the closing overs. And Curran delivered again. Almost whatever moves Buttler made turned out to be spot-on.
Spin tune After caging Indian batters in the semi-final, Rashid produced an even better performance (2/22) in the final. Striking off his very first ball when he forced Haris to mishit one, the leg-spinner bowled a fantastic googly that bamboozled a set Babar.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, after sustaining an injury while taking the catch of Harry Brook at the MCG on Sunday. AP/PTI
Shaheen blow
Shaheen Shah Afridi had raised Pakistan’s hopes with a ripper that castled Alex Hales first up. But the left-arm quick seemed to hurt his knee later once again while taking Harry Brook’s catch at wide long-off.
Shaheen did return to bowl thereafter. But after bowling just one delivery in the 16th over, with England needing 41 off 29, he left the field again. That was a massive blow to Pakistan as Stokes then hit part-timer Iftikhar Ahmed for a four and a six off the remaining balls, which yielded England 13.
