Pakistan’s dream of becoming a two-time T20 World champion was broken by England at the MCG after the Jos Buttler-led side defeated Babar Azam and co in the T20 World Cup 2022 to become only the second team to lift the trophy twice after West Indies.
England was miles ahead in the final, as Buttler won the toss and chose to bowl first on a dicey Melbourne pitch. Pakistan's batting returned to its original template and Babar and Rizwan struggled to get quick runs in the powerplay overs.
Sam Curran with 3/12 and Adil Rashid with 2/22 ensured the middle overs went barren as well as Shan Masood top-scored with 38 and Babar made 32 runs as Pakistan posted 137/8 in 20 overs.
In reply, Pakistani bowlers kept the team in the game with vital wickets upfront as Shaheen Afridi got rid of semi-final hero Alex Hales and Haris Rauf took two big wickets including that of captain Jos Buttler for 26.
But then Ben Stokes with 52* with the help from Harry Brook (20) and Moeen Ali (19), took the team past the winning mark with one over in hand, as England won the final by 5 wickets and became the T20 World Champions for the second time after 2010.
With this win, England also became the first team to hold the T20 and ODI world championship at the same time.
Meanwhile, Shoaib Akhtar lauded Pakistan cricketers for their performance in the tournament, adding that even India’s bowling couldn’t save them against this English side in the semifinal.
“It’s ok guys, I stand with you Pakistan. Shaheen’s injury was a turning point. I wanted the match to go to the last over. It was unfortunate but it’s ok. You have made me happy because Pakistan put up a marvelous fight tonight. India’s bowling couldn’t save them from this England batting lineup, they couldn’t take one wicket. It was a seaming track tonight and Pakistan gave them trouble. Even with a leg spinner, they halted England’s momentum,” Akhtar said in his YouTube channel.
He then raised their spirits and told the players to be a hero and lift the ODI World Cup trophy in India and bring it to Pakistan next year.
“Pull your chin up. Your heads should be high, there is no reason to be demoralized. It’s been a good battle. Just be strict in you team selection and fitness regime. Next year, there’s the World Cup in India. I am telling you guys, whoever wants to be the hero, go and lift the trophy at Wankhede Stadium and bring it back to Pakistan. This is a challenge for you. Go, work on your fitness and there’s the 50-over World Cup in India. That should be our World Cup. Pick yourself up, train hard and the next World Cup is ours,” he added.
One of the major reasons for Pakistan’s loss in the final was Shaheen Afridi’s injury. He tweaked his right knee while taking a catch and when asked to bowl the 18th over, he could bowl only one delivery before hobbling out of the field, proving to be the final nail in Pakistan’s chances’ coffin.
Akhtar said on Shaheen’s injury: “If I was in the team management, I would use Xylocaine, a local anesthetic on Shaheen and ask him to bowl a few deliveries on the side to see how he felt. If it he felt pain, I would say ‘leave it’. We should not put the young man’s career at risk. World cups will come and go. But Pakistan should make a code that never ever carry an unfit player. Shaheen was 70% when he was bowling. When pressure situation comes, sometimes you have to lunge and if your body is not strong at that time, it’ll create a problem. I think Shaheen was unfit even before he took the catch. The way he was limping….But he gave in a lot of effort in the World Cup.”
T20 World champions England will remain in Australia for a three-match ODI series.
