Match Details
5:08 PM IST | Arijit Kundu: If there had to be an award for the 'man of the moment,' 'man of the hour,' or 'man of the crunch junctions,' deliver it to this guy, Benjamin Andrew Stokes!!💪🏼 Four weeks of unstoppable action, plethora of upsets, plenty of anticipation, and in the end it is England who lifts the laurels at the historic MCG.🏟
It was 7 years back when Alaistair Cook was dropped as the captain, and the fans, experts cricket lovers questioned English cricket. There was a change in approach and we can witness the fruits of the seeds today.
It is worth noting that Pakistan was below par and their middle-order woes were exposed once again. On a big match, their middle order failed to gel up at the need of the hour. Like any other day, it was Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan with the opening march. Very much like that of the 1992 Cricket World Cup, the innings started off with a no-ball and this time it was Ben Stokes behind the act.🥶
The Pakistan duo looked a bit struggling initially and Mohammed Rizwan chopped back onto his stumps in the fifth over itself. Sam Curran was the one with the fresh scalp and soon Adil Rashid arrived and owned the stage.
He pulled the ball in the court of the ‘Three Lions’ after removing the aggressive-looking Mohammed Haris and skipper Babar Azam in the 8th and the 12th over. The other bowlers joined the spree and kept on tumbling the wickets till the end of the innings. Shan Masood tried to stay at one end and steer Pakistan, but as soon as took the aerial route, the southpaw walked in despair in the 17th over.
Pakistan could get 137 runs at the end and England were brilliant in their bowling throughout. Sam Curran bagged three wickets and two each went in name of Adil Rashid and Chris Jordan. Ben Stokes bagged one as well.✌️
In reply, Alex Hales was the one to find his timbers rattled in the first over itself and courtesy to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s brilliance with a nip-backer. Phil Salt joined Buttler and could play a few shots, and then returned back for a brisk. Buttler looked well and creamed a few smothering hits around the park.
England were put short to 45-3 after 5.3 overs and some interruption from the rain could have done the damage. But luckily for England, it was Ben Stokes, once again the man of the crunch moments wore the captain’s hat and steered the ship⛴ to triumph.
At one point they needed 62 runs from 62 balls and Ben Stokes and Harry Brook tinkered the scoreboard around for a while. The ship seemed to be sinking a bit as Stokes ate away a few balls, but it was the premiere all-rounder who was the man of the hour!!
With Moeen Ali, landing up after the fourth wicket, the experienced duo shadowed the nerves and smacked some good hits. It wasn't just about big shots, but finding the gaps between the fielders. Though Ali was dismissed in the fag end, it was Ben Stokes (52* runs of 49 balls) who rafted them, past the finishing line once again.
Pakistan bowlers gave a brilliant fight in this low-scoring encounter but in the end it is the Jos Buttler-led English team that edged past with 5 wickets and an over in hand.