Stokes, Curran shine as England down Pakistan to win 2022 T20 World Cup

The 50-over champions are now also crowned the kings of T20 cricket as England trumped Pakistan by five wickets in the final to win the 2022 T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Adil Rashid and Sam Curran starred with the ball to help reduce Babar Azam’s side to a below-par score of 137 in the first innings before Ben Stokes came to the fore in a World Cup final once again, the all-rounder taking England home in a nervy run chase with a priceless half-century.

Barring a few early nerves and extras from Ben Stokes in the first over, England were on the money from the word go after winning the toss and sending Pakistan into bat. Curran, Woakes, and Stokes kept things tight with the new ball as they restricted the Pakistan openers to just one boundary in the first four overs of the powerplay. This pressure told on Mohammed Rizwan in the fifth, the opener chopping onto his stumps against Sam Curran.

Adil Rashid also sent back Mohammad Haris off the first ball of his spell, but from 39 for one at the end of the powerplay, Pakistan recovered nicely through the middle. Shan Masood injected some momentum in the innings with a couple of boundaries against Liam Livingstone in the 11th over, taking Pakistan to 84 for two. However, just as Babar and Masood looked to accelerate, England hit back. Adil Rashid dismissed the Pakistan skipper and delivered a magnificent wicket-maiden in the 12th before Stokes had Iftikhar edging behind for nought.

Shadab Khan and Masood added 36 runs for the fifth wicket to stage a brief recovery and set up a grandstand finish, but England’s death bowlers used their changes of pace and the long Melbourne boundaries to great effect, limiting Pakistan to just 18 runs in the final four overs.

Chasing 138 in the final, England lost Alex Hales to an inswinging peach from Shaheen Afridi in the first over. Haris Rauf also sent back Phil Salt cheaply, but Jos Buttler gave his side the early initiative with a couple of lovely cover drives and a scoop over fine leg. Rauf removed the English captain in the final over of the powerplay to wrestle Pakistan back into the contest, but Ben Stokes dug in to prevent any middle-order collapse.

The all-rounder took his time to get going but shared a 39-run partnership with Harry Brook that steadied the ship before accelerating at the death alongside Moeen Ali. The turning point of the chase came in the 13th over when Shaheen Afridi injured his knee while taking a catch to dismiss Brook. The left-armer pulled up after bowling the first ball of the 16th over, forcing Babar to turn to part-timer Ifthikar Ahmed with 41 needed off 29. Stokes plundered the off spinner for two boundaries to end the over and batted till the end to take England home with one over and five wickets to spare.