Curran shines

England pacer Sam Curran made an immediate impact, picking up the crucial wicket of Mohammad Rizwan in the Powerplay just when the batter was getting in his groove. The 24-year-old later added the wicket of Pakistan dangerman Shan Masood, as well as Mohammad Nawaz, to finish with a remarkable 3/12 off four overs and the second-best figures in a T20 World Cup final. With 13 wickets from six encounters, Curran ended as the second-best wicket-taker in the World Cup. Curran's match-defining spell earned him the player of the final award, while his outstanding form throughout secured the player of the tournament honours.

England pacers fire in Powerplay

England pacers Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, and Chris Woakes knew exactly how to bowl on an MCG surface where batters found it difficult to make shots. Woakes brought variations into the play right from the word go as he kept Babar and Rizwan guessing. Curran scalping the wicket of Rizwan only made things difficult for the men in green and even though Babar kept the scoreboard ticking over, Pakistan could only amass 39 for one at the end of their opening six overs.

Rashid's wicket-maiden

England's Adil Rashid became only the fourth player to grab a wicket-maiden in the final of a T20 World Cup, when he got the prized wicket of Pakistan captain Babar Azam in the 12th over. Mohammad Amir, Angelo Mathews, and Samuel Badree are the three others to achieve the feat.

Afridi limping off

Despite setting a modest 138-run target, an outstanding effort from the bowlers saw Pakistan back in the game. Naseem Shah bowled two excellent overs, giving away just five runs, and Shadab Khan removed Harry Brook as the equation was brought down to England needing 41 from 30 deliveries. Skipper Babar decided to hand the ball to his match-winner, Shaheen Shah Afridi, for the 16th over to notch up the pressure even further. And the pacer, who had hurt himself while taking Brook's catch, could only bowl one delivery before limping off the ground. After that, neither Afridi nor Pakistan could come back to the game.

Shaheen Shah walking off the field during the final. Photo: AFP

The decisive four-ball span

With Afridi out of the game, Babar had to hand the ball to part-time off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmed – the best option against two left-handers in Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali. Iftikhar did well for the first three deliveries, giving away three runs and nearly having Stokes caught at long-off. Stokes knew he had to seize the opportunity and he did that by smashing the part-timer for a boundary and a six in the final two deliveries of the over. Moeen followed it up with two more boundaries in the next over of Mohammad Wasim and England never took their step off the pedal, needing only 24 off 22.