Sam Curran, Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid delivered stunning spells to restrict Pakistan to 137/8 in the final of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday.
Sam Curran delivered stunning spell and bagged three while Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid took two wicekts each repectively. Shan Masood scored the highest runs for Pakistan with 38 while skipper Babar Azam scored 32. Put to bat first, openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan opened Pakistan’s tally in the first inning by bagging 8 runs in the very first over of all-rounder Ben Stokes. Stokes delivered a no-ball on the very first delivery of the innings as the all-rounder swung it away and Rizwan covered for it as he defended to mid-off.
Azam and Rizwan got off to a cautious start. In the 5th over of the innings, Sam Curran gave his team a big breakthrough as he bowled out Rizwan for 15 off 14. England bowlers delivered e will be the happier side after the powerplay – Pakistan kept to 39/1 from six overs
Mohammad Haris then came out to bat and join hands with skipper Babar. Adil Rashid stuck in his very first over as he sent Haris packing after scoring 8 off 12. Then the left-handed batter Shan Masood came out to bat.
England bowlers kept Pakistan under control as they conceded just 68 runs while bagging two wickets in 10 overs. In the 11th over of the innings, Rashid stuck again as he dismissed well-set batter Babar Azam for 32 off 28 and he delivered a maiden over.
Stokes was brought back into the attack and the bowler showed everyone what he is known for as he sent Iftikhar Ahmed packing for a 6-ball duck. At that point, Pakistan’s score read 85/4. Shadab Khan then came out to bat and the batter slammed a stunning six off of Rashid’s delivery in the 14th over.
After 15 overs of the play, Pakistan’s score read 106 with a four-wicket loss. Shadab and Masood opened their hands and slammed Stokes for 13 runs in the 16th over.
Sam Curran then gave Pakistan another blow as he departed well-set aggressive batter Masood for 38 runs off 28 balls. In the 17th over Chris Jordan then joined the paty and dismissed Shadab for where Woakes takes the simplest of catches. Jordan’s short ball got good bounce off the surface and all Shadab could do it to hit the ball into the hands of Chris Woakes at mid-off. Shadab went back into the pavellion after scoring 20 off 14 balls.
Curran again rattled Pakistan’s batting order as he dismissed Mohammad Nawaz, who scored just 5 runs off 7 balls. A fuller ball from Curran made Nawaz to hit it over the deep mid-wicket fielder but failed to do so as the batter was caught by Livingstone.
In the penultimate over of the innings Jordan dismissed Mohammad Wasim Jr for 4 off 8 deliveries to help England restrict Pakistan to 137/8 in 20 over match.
Brief score: Pakistan 137/8 (Shan Masood 38, Babar Azam 32; Sam Curran 3-12) vs England. (ANI)
