Ben Stokes scored an unbeaten half-century to take England to T20 World Cup title.© AFP
Top performances from Sam Curran and Ben Stokes powered England to their second ICC T20 World Cup title after 2010
- ANI
- Updated: November 14, 2022 07:45 PM IST
Following Ben Stokes‘ match-winning half-century in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup against Pakistan on Sunday, former England captain Michael Vaughan wants the all-rounder to reverse his ODI retirement to help his side defend the 50-over World Cup next year with his all-round skills. 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.
“Can you play in next year’s 50 over World Cup please @benstokes38!! Asking for a nation,” tweeted Vaughan.
Can you play in next years 50 over World Cup please @benstokes38 !! Asking for a nation
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) November 14, 2022
The all-rounder had a solid ICC T20 WC, having scored 110 runs in six matches at an average of 36.66. He also took six wickets for his side at an economy rate of 6.79.
Stokes retired from the 50-over format after playing the first ODI of England’s series against South Africa on July 19. He could score only five runs in his final match.
In 105 ODIs, Stokes scored 2,924 runs at an average of 38.98. Three centuries and 21 half-centuries came out of the all-rounder’s willow in 90 innings, with the best score of 102*.
As a bowler, he took 74 wickets at an average of 42.39 and economy rate of 6.05. His best bowling figures in the 50-over format are 5/61.
It is not surprising that Vaughan wants Stokes to reverse his ODI retirement decision given his ability to help his side win big matches. Notably, he had played a match-winning knock of 84* in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 against New Zealand, which his side won on basis of boundary count after the match was tied and the consequent Super Over produced the same result.
In August 2019, he played a memorable knock of 135* against Australia in the third Test of the Ashes series. Reduced to 286/9, he formed a match-winning 76-run stand with tailender Jack Leach, who contributed only one run in the stand.
Coming to the final of the T20 WC against Pakistan, asked to bat first by England, Pakistan closed their innings at 137/8. Shan Masood (38) and skipper Babar Azam (32) scored the bulk of Pakistan’s sub-par total.
Sam Curran (3/12) was the leading bowler for England while legspinner Adil Rashid (2/22) and pacer Chris Jordan (2/27) also got crucial wickets to dent Pakistan’s progress. Ben Stokes, who scored a match-winning, unbeaten 52, also claimed a wicket.
Chasing 138, England were reduced to 45/3 in 5.3 overs. But a 48-run stand between Ben Stokes (52* off 49 balls with five fours and a six) and Moeen Ali (19 off 13 balls) swung the game in England’s favour and they won their second world title.
Haris Rauf (2/23) was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Md. Wasim Jr and Shadab Khan picked one wicket each.
While Stokes took England over the line with a dazzling knock, it was Curran who clinched the ‘Man of the Match’ for his dream spell in the final.
Brief score: Pakistan: 137/8 (Shan Masood 38, Babar Azam 32; Sam Curran 3-12) vs England: 138/5 (Ben Stokes 52*, Jos Buttler 26, Haris Rauf 2/23).
Source: NDTV-Cricket