Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

T20 WC: 'Big Match Stokes' powers England to second title win, beat Pakistan by 5 wickets in final

The seasoned Ben Stokes (52 not out off 49 balls) just like the 2019 ODI World Cup, anchored the chase despite occasional scratchiness and had a calm Moeen Ali (19) as an ideal foil.

T20 WC: 'Big Match Stokes' powers England to second title win, beat Pakistan by 5 wickets in final

Top performances from Sam Curran and Ben Stokes powered England to their second ICC T20 World Cup title after 2010, as they defeated Pakistan by five wickets in a gripping low-scoring final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday.

England delivered a fantastic performance with the ball, reducing Pakistan to 137/8. Sam Curran (3/12) lead the English batting attack. Chasing 138, England was reduced to 45/3 before powerplay, but Stokes (52*) delivered in a big match once again to take his side to a victory. Chasing 138, England lost opener Alex Hales in the first over itself for just one run after Shaheen Afridi sent a delivery crashing through his gates. England was 7/1 in one over.


Phil Salt joined skipper Jos Buttler. The duo attacked young pacer Naseem Shah, smashing him for three fours, with the captain hitting two.

Just when it seemed that the duo was building a partnership, Haris Rauf intervened to send back Salt for just 10 off nine balls. England was 32/2 in 3.3 overs.

All-rounder Ben Stokes came to bat next. Rauf got his second wicket of the match as he dismissed the skipper Buttler for 26 off 17 balls. England was 45/3 in 5.3 overs.

At the end of powerplay in six overs, England was 49/3, with Harry Brook (4*) joining Stokes (1*). The duo helped England reach halfway through their innings without any damage.

At the end of 10 overs, England was at 77/3, with Brook (14*) and Stokes (17*).

Stokes-Brook were bringing England back into the game, one run at a time. But their stand was cut short at 39 runs by spinner Shadab Khan, who dismissed Brook for 20 off 23 balls. Shaheen took a brilliant catch at long-off. England was 84/4 in 12.3 overs.

Moeen Ali joined Stokes to carry on with the chase. At the end of 15 overs, England was 97/4, with Stokes (28*) and Ali (3*).

England touched the 100-run mark in 15.4 overs. England needed 38 in 26 balls. Stokes relieved some pressure by smashing a four over covers and a six over long-off to bring down the equation to 28 needed in 24 balls.

Moeen smashed pacer Mohammad Wasim for two boundaries in the first two balls of next over, bringing down the deficit to 20 runs in 22 balls. He also hit a boundary on the final ball, leaving England to chase 12 runs in the final three overs.

The 48-run stand between Ali and Stokes came to an end after Wasim dislodged the former's stumps. The left-hander's short, but valuable cameo was over at 19 runs in 13 balls.

England needed 6 in 10 balls and five of their batters were back in the hut for 132.

Stokes brought his first half-century in T20I cricket with a four in 47 balls. Scores were levelled.

Stokes brought the winning runs, England finished the innings at 138/5 in 19 overs, with Stokes unbeaten at 52* off 49 balls and Liam Livingstone at 1*.

Rauf (2/23) was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan. Shaheen, Wasim and Shadab picked one each.

Earlier, 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.

- ANI

More For You

british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Car Tax Changes: EV Owners Now Required to Pay for the First Time

Owners of electric vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2025 will pay £10 for the first year, followed by the standard VED rate of £195 from the second year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Car tax changes take effect: EV owners to pay for first time

FROM today, 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans, and motorcycles in the UK will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.

The change, introduced in the 2022 Autumn Statement by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, aims to make motoring taxation fairer.

Keep ReadingShow less
scotland-minimum-wages-iStock

Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will receive an annual pay increase of £1,400 in real terms. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Wage increase takes effect for thousands of workers in Scotland

HUNDREDS of thousands of workers in Scotland will see a pay increase as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect from Tuesday.

The changes will benefit approximately 220,000 people, according to STV News.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk-energy-bill-iStock

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

April bill increases put financial strain on single parents

A RANGE of essential household bills are increasing from April, with Citizens Advice warning that single parents will be among the hardest hit.

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased, BBC reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools
Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence'
Netflix

Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools

THE NETFLIX drama Adolescence will be shown in UK secondary schools as part of efforts to address harmful online influences on young boys, officials announced on Monday.

The show has sparked debate over the impact of toxic and misogynistic content on the internet. Prime minister Keir Starmer met the show's creators, charities, and young people at Downing Street, calling the initiative an important step in starting discussions about the content teenagers are exposed to online.

Keep ReadingShow less