Xtra Time Web Desk: Ben Stokes scored an unbeaten fifty as England outplayed Pakistan by five wickets in the final of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Despite forecasts of showers throughout the day, the final was not interrupted at all. Put into bat first Pakistan posted 8-137.
Defending the low total Pakistan quicks Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi took three wickets inside the powerplay, and kept the pressure on England’s batters in the middle overs.
England slumped to 3-49, and was only 4-97 after 15.1 overs, still needing 41 runs from 29 balls.
But that was the moment Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi left the field with an injury and had to let spinner Iftikhar Ahmed bowl out his over.
Ben Stokes (52 not out) and Moeen Ali (19) then used their experience to guide England to 5-138 with six balls to spare, helping England to its second T20 title since 2010.
It also marked a redemption moment for Stokes who has carried the wait of blowing the 2016 T20 World Cup final for England in the final over.