England shatter Pakistan dream to prevail in gripping T20 World Cup final – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports editor)
England skipper Jos Buttler marshalled his troops with the command of a cool ,calm, battle hardened veteran to contain an established Pakistan batting line-up. He then led his men to an emphatic T20 World Cup victory in front of over 80 thousand fans at the MCG.
As I said in my preview, winning the toss was paramount. It gave England the platform to play to their strengths by putting Pakistan in and trying to strangle a free scoring team in an endeavour to chase down a reasonable target.
Man-of- match, and the series, Sam Curran, provided that impetus with a devastating spell of seam bowling on an MCG track that was rwo paced and with plenty of swing off it. Curran and leg spinner Adil Rashid ripped through Pakistan to lay the platform for a rousing win against a defiant opponent. Chris Jordan later chimed in with two important wickets to complete Pakistan’s demise.
Keeping Pakistan to a total of 137 seemed like a mere trifle, but Pakistan struck back, jolting England early, to have them 86 for 4 in the12th over, and proving they were in the fight to defend an under par total, and this was not going be a walk in the park.
Butter found his worst nightmare a reality when first Afridi then Harris Rauf dismantled England’s top order with both Hales, Salt and himself gone with 45 on the board within the first power play. It exposed England’s middle order and a challenge to prove they had what was required to be a worthy World champion.
Shaheen Shah Afridi was the danger man with his speed, bounce and variation which the MCG was unusually accommodating. He got rid of dangerous Alex Hales with an express in -swinging delivery that rattled his middle stump in the very first over. His exit after delivering a devastating first spell, proved the turning point to any chance of victory.
Afridi fell awkwardly while taking a catch hurting his knee and had to be helped off the field. His brave attempt to return was short lived delivering just one ball before clutching is leg and limping off taking Pakistan’s fiesty challenge with him.
The two paced wicket was a bowlers dream depending on personal skills. England triumphed in that respect.
England exploited at first, then Pakistan showed the difference between the two bowling attacks ripping through a batting line-up thought to be capable of handling the best.
Pakistan’s pace attack were more than a handful, probing and beating the bat constantly with sheer pace, movement and guile. But they were sadly without deserved success on the night. England top scorer and match winner, Ben Stokes battled valiantly to see them home against a hostile barrage of fast bowling, but took the honours in the end. His unbeaten 52 was not without some heart stopping moments.
Tricky fast man Sam Curran, 3 for 12 leggie Adil Rashid 2 for 22 and Chris Jordan 2 fir 27 bowled brilliantly to contain a strong Pakistan batting line-up. They gave the Englishmen enough belief to think they had this final in the bag.
The start ebbed and flowed with England squandering a missed run out chance in the first over. Pakistan’s mainstays Barbar Azam and Rizwan thrived on that let off and threatened to take them to comparative safety. But England through Curran and Rashid, reined them in to put the contest on the predicted course making it a tantalising contest between bat and ball.
Jos Buttler proved the difference in the end with his astute bowling changes and field placement which rattled the usually well drilled Pakistan batting.
The weather played its part by providing an uninterrupted game, threatening momentarily then pulling back to make it a great night.
England return home with the spoils of a well constructed campaign and erased the memories of their last visit to Australia. They are now the holders of both formats of the limited overs game.
