Stokes single gives England second T20 World Cup title Men’s T20 World Cup Final MelbournePakistan 137-8 (20 overs): Masood 38 (28); Curran 3-12, Rashid 2-22 England 138-5 (19 overs): Stokes 52* (49); Rauf 2-23 England won by five wicketsScorecard
England beat Pakistan by five wickets in a thrilling final in Melbourne to win the Men’s T20 World Cup and become double world champions.
Chasing 138 in front of a raucous Pakistan-supporting crowd, they slumped to 45-3 and 84-4 amid electric fast bowling.
But under intense pressure at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, Ben Stokes went further into English cricket folklore by finishing on 52 not out.
It was there in the end, as it was in the final of the 2019 50-over World Cup, as this current white-ball team provided another of English cricket’s great victories.
As the equation tightened, Stokes took advantage of a cruel injury to Pakistan left-armer Shaheen Afridi and steered England to victory with six balls to spare.
The win, thanks in large part to a superb bowling performance from Sam Curran and Adil Rashid, means England become the first team to hold both the men’s 20 and 50 world titles.
It is also their second World T20 title after the win in West Indies in 2010.
Stokes again leads England over the line
As Stokes walked away after scoring the winning runs, he roared – his celebration reminiscent of his other iconic knock in the 2019 Ashes Test at Headingley.
He was soon mobbed by his team-mates before they ran off to celebrate in front of the few England fans in this massive crowd of 80,462.
The pitch was tricky but England looked heavy favorites after their bowling performance restricted Pakistan to 137-8.
England, however, know that finals are never easy. His experience at Lord’s in 2019 proved that.
Pakistan have the best pace attack in the world and the crowd erupted as the first wickets fell in the chase.
This is also a weekend in which England’s Red Roses lost a Rugby World Cup final and the men’s rugby league side were defeated in a World Cup semi-final.
But Stokes remained calm throughout, even as the equation tightened to a situation where 41 runs were needed from 30 balls, to steer his side home with his maiden T20 international fifty.
His innings also banished memories of the 2016 T20 World Cup final, when he was crushed by Carlos Brathwaite’s four consecutive sixes in the final as West Indies took the title.
After a shock loss to Ireland and a drubbing against Australia in the group stage, England needed to win all their remaining matches to lift the trophy, just as they did in the 2019 Under-50 World Cup.
‘Outstanding’ – Curran takes 3-12 from his four overs
Shaheen’s injury is crucial
Pakistan – and the crowd – sensed their moment when, with 54 needed from 45, Harry Brook cut leg-spinner Shadab Khan straight to long-on.
But taking the catch, Shaheen, who had bowled Alex Hales in England’s first over, was injured, a moment that proved crucial.
He returned to the field to play the 16th, but limped off the field after one delivery.
That left part-time spinner Iftikhar Ahmed to finish the game and Stokes took his chance, hitting a four through extra cover and a longer six to put the game in England’s control.
Moeen Ali went on to hit seamer Mohammad Wasim for three-quarters in the next over and the result was all but certain, although Moeen was bowled in the 19th over.
Pakistan’s bowlers can take little blame. Haris Rauf had England captain Jos Buttler caught behind for 26 and Phil Salt caught at mid-wicket in a thrilling moment.
He and Naseem Shah, who somehow went wicketless in four sensational overs, did their best to secure what would have been Pakistan’s second T20 title.
Afridi bowls Hales for 1 with a brilliant yorker in the first over
Curran and Rashid star
England were equally impressive with the ball, albeit after a nervous start from Stokes, who started the match no-balled and then wide.
Pakistan’s fearsome opening pair of captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were surprisingly shrewd early on and Rizwan was bowled out at five by Curran for 15.
Leg-spinner Rashid then had the dangerous Muhammad Haris caught at long on off his first ball and in his third over delivered a crucial blow.
Babar had been steadily reaching 32 but Rashid hooked him with a googly and took a good low return catch. Rashid followed up Iftikhar with five points to complete a remarkable maiden in the heat of the World Cup final.
From there, Pakistan did not recover. They lost seven wickets for 53 runs in the last nine overs.
Curran was deservedly named player of the tournament for a series of impressive performances and once again his mix of slower and bouncing Yorkers proved almost impossible to hit – conceding just 12 runs from his four overs.
Shan Masood top-scored for Pakistan with 38 from 32. He hit Curran at deep square leg in the 17th over, allowing Chris Jordan to help close the innings.
Jordan, who retained his place after Mark Wood failed to recover from injury, added the wickets of Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz as just 18 runs came from the last four overs.