Melbourne: England denied the men in green a fairytale ending to the tournament by defeating Pakistan in the final of the T20 World Cup and became the first team to lift both world white ball trophies in cricket at the same time. Name it.
Earlier, Sam Curran took three wickets for just 12 runs as England thrashed Pakistan 137-8 in the T20 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
With rain in the forecast, England bowled with discipline and economy to hold off the 2009 champions, with Shaun Masood’s 38 – the top score.
Karan was deadly, accounting for Muhammad Rizwan, Masood and Muhammad Nawaz.
Adil Rashid’s legspin also proved crucial, removing the dangerous Mohammad Haris off his opening ball and then taking the crucial wicket of Babar Azam to finish with 2-22.
Jos Buttler’s England, who reached the final with an emphatic 10-wicket win over India, are aiming to become the sport’s first dual white-ball champions since winning the 50-over World Cup in 2019.
Both teams are looking for a second T20 title after Pakistan’s success in 2009 and England’s success a year later.
England, again without injured batsman David Mullan and pacer Mark Wood, won the toss and sent Pakistan into bat.
Ben Stokes was given the new ball and Pakistan were lucky to hold on to the over, with a nervous Mohammad Rizwan almost run out for a dangerous single.
If Chris Jordan’s throw had been a direct hit, he would have gone.
Rizwan and Azam shared a century partnership in the semi-final against New Zealand and settled down early, with Rizwan clearing the ropes of Chris Woakes for the first six of the night in the fourth over.
But another big stand was not to be, Rizwan dragged a delivery from Curran onto his stumps for 15.
Pakistan, who beat New Zealand by seven wickets to reach the final, managed just 39-1 in the six-over powerplay, where only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.
Rashid’s introduction reaped immediate rewards as Harris (8) attacked Stokes with an easy catch on his first ball.
Azam took Pakistan to 68-2 at the halfway point of the innings and then Masood started swinging the bat with a four and a six off Liam Livingstone.
But once again Rashid prevailed, taking a diving catch off his own bowling to take the crucial wicket of Azam, whose 32 came off 28 balls.
Iftikhar Ahmed could only play six balls before Masood and Shadab Khan (20) fell for two runs as Karan and Chris Jordan snuffed out any hope of a late Pakistan stir.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
England: Jos Buttler (c/wk), Alex Hales, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid.
