Ben Stokes joins Gambhir, Sangakkara in elite club after match-winning 52* in T20 WC final vs Pakistan

Sam Curran and Ben Stokes starred for England in their five-wicket win over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2022 final versus Pakistan. Opting to bowl first, Jos Buttler-led Three Lions rode on Curran’s 3 for 12 and two-fers from Adil Rashid and Chris Jordan to restrict Babar Azam-led Men in Green for a below-par 137 for 8 in 20 overs. In reply, Buttler & Co. chased down the target with an over to spare, courtesy of all-rounder Ben Stokes’ 49-ball 52.

England tried to attack with the bat in the run-chase despite being 45 for 3. While Pakistani pacers were at their best and used the conditions very well, with Naseem Shah (0 for 30) and Haris Rauf (2 for 23) making run-scoring tough for the 2010 winners. Nonetheless, Stokes held his nerves and held one end with a steady inning. The left-hander returned with a 49-ball 52, laced with 5 fours and a six, to take England home with an over to spare. After his match-winning knock, the 31-year-old has joined Gautam Gambhir and Kumar Sangakkara in an elite club. Stokes has become the first English batter to score a fifty in ODI and T20 WC finals, third overall. 

Sangakkara, the former Sri Lankan captain, has become the first to achieve this unique feat. He scored a fine 64* in the Sri Lanka-Pakistan 2009 T20 WC final to attain this record, after also scoring 54 in the 2007 ODI WC final versus Australia. Gambhir followed suit. He first struck a match-winning 75 in India’s 2007 T20 WC final triumph over Pakistan and followed it up with an impressive 97 in the India-SL ODI WC final in 2011. Meanwhile, Stokes had scored a memorable 89 not out in the 2019 ODI WC final between England-New Zealand before his match-winning knock versus Pakistan on Sunday (November 13) at the MCG, Melbourne.

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After the match, Stokes told the broadcasters, “In finals especially when chasing.. you probably forget all the hard work before that, how we bowled, Adil Rashid and Sam Curran won us the game. It was a tricky wicket and one that you never felt in, so to restrict them to 130-odd bowlers have to take a lot of credit for that. With that (defeat to Ireland) being so early in the competition we obviously had to address it, say what had to be said and then let it go. In tournaments like these you can’t carry baggage with you, that was a little blip on the way, credit to Ireland for turning up and beating us, but the best teams learn from their mistakes and not let it affect them. Pretty good evening. Representing your country in World Cups is amazing.. but it has been a good one.”