Unstoppable England vs Immovable Pakistan

Jos Buttler-inspired England and a Babar Azam-led Pakistan will be squaring off at the iconing Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, hoping to lift their second T20 World Cup title and keeping an eye on the heavens, wishing for its doors not to open and ruin the title decider. Pakistan, England or rain – who will steal the spotlight? As we head towards the mouth-watering contest, let's take a gander at some interesting facts and hope the finale lives up to the billing.

Trivia

Photo: AFP

Pakistan, after heartbreak in the 2007 final against arch rivals India, made sure to get the job done in 2009 as they beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in a low-scoring final at Lords to clinch their first and only T20 World Cup title.

England, champions of the 2010 edition of the tournament, dominated the final in a seven-wicket win over arch rivals Australia at the Kensington Oval.

There remains a 100 percent chance of showers and even severe thunderstorms for the final on Sunday. The weather is also expected to be bleak on Monday, the reserve day for the final.

A minimum of 10 overs per side is needed to constitute a game, compared to five during the group stages. If the match starts on Sunday but isn't finished, it will resume on Monday from where it was halted.

In the worst-case scenario where play on both days are washed out, the World Cup will have joint winners for the first time.

England and Pakistan have never won at the MCG, with the English losing four times, including a loss to Ireland in the ongoing edition, while Babar Azam's troops came out second best twice at the same ground.

The two finalists have faced each other 28 times in T2OIs. England lead the head-to-head chart, winning 17 times. Pakistan won nine while one match was tied and another ended without a result.

Pakistan's score of 232-6 in the first T20I during their tour of England in 2021 is the highest team total achieved in T20Is between the two sides. The men in green also hold the record for the lowest total as they were bundled out for 89 in the second T20I during Pakistan's tour of England in 2010.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has amassed the most runs against England as the batter boasts 560 runs in 15 matches at a strike-rate of 142.85 while averaging 50.90, including a best score of 110 not out, which is also the highest individual score between batters of both teams.

In the bowling front, England's Graeme Swann and Adil Rashid have scalped 17 wickets each against Pakistan, the most amongst two teams.

Saeed Ajmal's 4-23 in the third T20I during England's tour of the UAE in 2012 remains the best bowling figure amongst the two sides. Adil Rashid came close to toppling it but gave away 35 runs for his four wickets in the third T20I of their tour of Pakistan in 2021.

Finals since 2007

India won the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007, beating arch rivals Pakistan by five runs in an enthralling final. India's Joginder Sharma defended 13 runs in the final over, finishing proceedings with the dismissal of Pakistan's last wicket, Misbah-Ul-Haq, at the Wanderers Stadium.

Two years later, Pakistan made sure to make it count in the final as they beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets to clinch the T20 World Cup at Lords.

The following year, England won their first ICC trophy as they took home the T20 World Cup, beating arch rivals Australia by seven wickets at the Kensington Oval.

The 2012 T20 World Cup saw hosts Sri Lanka play West Indies in the final in Colombo. The Windies won the contest by 36 runs and all-rounder Marlon Samuels was adjudged the player of the final; He is the only player to have achieved the feat twice (2012 and 2016).

Sri Lanka, however, washed away their 2012 sorrows by beating India by six wickets in the 2016 final in Mirpur.

The post-Covid World Cup in 2021, staged in the UAE, was won by Australia by eight wickets against neighbours New Zealand in Dubai.