T20 WORLD CUP FINAL: England’s near invincibility challenged by out of the blues thunderbolt Pak...
The final of the eighth edition of the T20 World Cup from weeks long two phase stage 1 to Super 12 elimination to the semi-finals pitting England and Pakistan head on for the $ 1.6 million prize money plus trophy glitter has indeed galvanised the final fling of cricket’s most nerve wracking fast and furious paced format in a typical throwback pre match hype of a showdown of Babar Azam’s team facing the hefty challenge of literally having to bend steel. Such is the sum up backdrop strong odds on insulating impregnable pedestal Joss Buttler’s charges bask in on the form book gallop to the final from Group B and the Group 2 Super 12. Therein, the lending hype is the totally in contrast Pakistan’s virtual gate crashing type of storming into the final from the blues given Azam’s charges making the big leap hinged on the brink to depending on the lowly Netherlands pulling it off against favourites South Africa where the remote impossible happened to Pakistan accomplishing the final hurdle of going past Bangladesh done to aplomb from where an incarcerated new look outfit that smoked out high riding New Zealand by a 7-wicket ease now stand in the spectacular of rubbing shoulders with England. It is this fashioning in the solid of the two finalists in totally diverse climes, one of the best performance tournament record but for England’s loss to minnows Ireland, and Pakistan coming out of the slumber on a thread from two defeats to winning four. In that comparison, the ray of cup glory hope Babar Azam and company would look to is aiming at England’s Achilles heel knowing Buttler’s team is vulnerable going on England’s defeat to Ireland. In that drawing board analysis certainly a resurgent Pakistan is right up there in with a chance of taking home the cup a second time having won it in 2009. Their batting showcasing the winning mechanism that downed New Zealand in the form of skipper Azam and opening batsman Mohammad Rizwan rising to the delivering reliance he is known for by that Player of the Match half century against the Kiwis has certainly muscled Pakistan to top gear for the big stakes. The moment of truth will be whether the frontline will prevail against the varied England attack that has been of top drawer stuff in that victory thrust. Again Pakistan’s bowling attack spearheaded by the inform Shaseen Shah Afridi will be tested whether they can crack England’s high flying top order.
Of course, England remain the favourites to win the world cup a second time having won it in 2010. Bar that blemish at the hands of the Irish, Buttler’s charges have reeled out the stuff worthy of a side ready for that final cup assault at the expense of Pakistan. It thus boils down to whether the on paper unpredictable Pakistanis would deliver the thunderbolt from the blues that has taken them to the doorstep of the world cup.
For the record, of the past 28 encounters, England has won 18 to Pakistan’s 9 while in the most recent bilateral series England won 4-3, and have also prevailed 4-1 of their last 5 encounters.
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