Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature The magic number According to our PitchViz par model, which uses ball tracking data, the par at The MCG in this tournament is 159. With Pakistan’s bowling power, anything north of 160 should put them in a great position. #T20 World Cup Final — Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) November 13, 2022 The players take the field for the national anthem. The atmosphere at the MCG is incredible. I’m going to have a coffee. Appointment in a few minutes for the bloody final of the World Cup. “I think picking Buttler to bowl is a smart move in a potential 10-over thrash,” says Tom Van der Gucht. “If the rain happens, there is a chance that Pakistan’s openers will have been dragged to 50 without a wicket and will miss the opportunity to accelerate through the gears after laying a solid platform. This pressure may also force them to take more risks and abandon their normal play.” Yes, it’s generally the right decision – but I don’t think it’s the big advantage it was in the early days of DLS T20 calculations. “This is a repeat of an occasion that essentially changed the fortunes of Pakistan,” says Zain Malik, traveling back in time to March 25, 1993. “A Melbourne final that saw the legend and myth of individual triumph cemented in the public memory of Pakistan. In all its glitz, colored shirts and floodlights, heroes were born defeating the mighty English in a faraway land. Pakistan announced itself to the world in style. “Thirty years later, Australia is no longer a distant land. Babar is on the billboards and the MCG is expected to become a sea of green with the Barmy Army scrambling to find a voice. Whatever happens, this beautiful sport is what brought this nation to the world. “It is only Pakistan that can conquer the world through clumsiness, stumbling, casual luck. You have to love them, because they always give you something to believe in. To inspire all the forces of nature to unite and bring them victory. Keep it up guys, do it for the world.” I will politely disagree with one thing – when Pakistan conquers the world, it has the square root of the luck buff. (Well, apart from Holland beating South Africa – I’m specifically referring to the Pakistan matches.) “God, it’s happening, isn’t it?” writes Guy Hornsby. “I would not rather be than follow in this place, among detractors and friends. The point is we are even here but worry about the early wickets as our middle order really hasn’t fired. Now is the time I guess! So much for the opening pairs and bowlers here. And my twin brother sits on G, right on the 6 range in the middle. What a day, Rob.’ This is probably England’s biggest concern, because you have to assume Pakistan’s new bowlers will pick up a wicket or three. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales have scored 58 percent of England’s runs in this tournament. The third highest scorer is Ben Stokes with 58. I can’t believe we’re half an hour away from a World Cup final. All signs were that it would rain, or at least be delayed in its onset. Updated at 07:27 GMT
The groups
Pakistan Mohammad Rizwan (ed), Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi England Butler (w/week), Hales, Salt, Stokes, Brook, Alli, Livingstone, Curran, Woakes, Jordan, Rashid. Updated at 07:27 GMT
England win the toss and bowl first
Josh Buttler says the weather is the main reason to fly first. England remain unchanged, although Buttler did not specify whether Mark Wood was available for selection or not. There may be echoes of Robin Smith in 1992 – missed the semi-final through injury, was available for the final but lost. But surely England wouldn’t leave Wood out? It would be like leaving Robin Smith out of the World Cup final! Babar Azam says Pakistan would bowl too. And they are also immutable. Updated at 07:31 GMT “Good morning Rob from a lovely autumnal slope in Piedmont,” says Finbar Anslow. “I agree, the two teams have nothing in common, apart from both being captained by former Somerset players. Thanks for the comment. It should be a great match.” It should, though we said the same about the series decider between these two last month. A Super Over would not be a surprise. not a big win for either team. The throwing Teams usually bowl first when it’s raining around so they know exactly what to chase. But DLS targets are tougher than they used to be, never mind the pressure of batting last in a final. There must at least be a temptation to get runs on the board while the conditions are good. Meet the new captain, subtly different from the old captain England will wear black armbands today in tribute to David English, who died yesterday aged 76. English was obsessed with cricket whose Bunbury Schools Festival gave many of England’s greats their first major exposure. So sad to hear the news of David English’s passing. One of life’s great characters, so much fun to spend time with and producer of some of England’s best cricketers at the great Bunbury Festivals. RIP ❤️ pic.twitter.com/RK3SXUOfSr — Jos Buttler (@josbuttler) November 12, 2022 Updated at 07:29 GMT Pakistan have few risks, none bigger than Shaheen Shah Afridi. He is the best in the world, perhaps the best of all time, at taking a wicket in the first over of a T20. Team news Simon Burnton, our man at the MCG, says Mark Wood has marked his run – but so has Chris Jordan, so who knows. Looks like Dawid Malan didn’t make it. I imagine Pakistan will remain unchanged. we haven’t heard anything to the contrary. Updated at 07.07 GMT
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the World T20 final between England and Pakistan in Melbourne. It is the best line-up in the world against the best bowling attack – or, to put it another way, the formidable force against the formidable force. It’s also – imagine the reaction to this little beauty in March 2015 – England’s third World Cup final in six years, and a chance to cement its legacy as one of the greatest white-ball teams of all time . No men’s team was an ODI and T20 world champion at that time, not even the great West Indies side of the late 1970s. There is only one obstacle: they are playing Pakistan. Pakistan, whose Tigers savaged England so euphorically in the 50-over final on this ground in 1992. Pakistan, who practice logic as – get your current reports here – David Brent does on faxes from head office. Pakistan, who lost their first two games and were 50/1 to win the World Cup eight days ago. Pakistan, whose every ICC tournament win – 1992, 2009, 2017 – brought them the best view from the cliff. Pakistan, who on their day leave even the strongest opposition wondering what has hit them. This is the picture we have of Pakistan – although, at the risk of being a pawn in the orgy, it is a little more nuanced than that. In their own Merulier (sic) way, they have been the most consistent T20 team of all since the first World Cup in 2007. No one has reached as many semi-finals. no one has played in more finals. The relationship between England and Pakistan has changed – there is a lot more respect, and nobody’s mother-in-law will be mentioned tonight. The teams are also much closer in style and mood than they used to be. But they will never have everything in common. Get the inaugural collaborations. Both are world-class, both have beaten India by 10 wickets in World T20s in the last 13 months, yet they have different methodologies to skin the cat. It’s England’s cold bruisers Jos Buttler and Alex Hales (partnership average 74, strike rate 158) against Pakistan’s careful strokers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan (50 average, with a much larger sample size, strike rate 132) . Babar and Rizwan’s century stand in New Zealand’s semi-final hammering was the eighth for the first wicket in T20Is. That’s twice as much as anyone else. The English Open is more difficult because the teams fall to No.11. Pakistan’s back-to-back starts at No 8 and will show it off proudly – because Nos 8-11 are in the team to take winnies and can all bowl over 90mph. Buttler and Babar know – as captains and openers, for richer and poorer – that every bowling line has an enviable variety: legspinners, offspinners, right-armers, left-armers. Whatever the stroke, there’s a match for it. The whole thing is incredibly exciting. Or would be if we hadn’t spent the last 72 hours looking at weather apps. A World Cup defined by bad weather can still be decided by it. When I went to bed last night I thought there was no way I could play today, and that I would be home in time for Dawson’s Creek, but things are looking more promising now. Cold November rain is nowhere to be seen – Melbourne was unexpectedly dry today, although the forecast is still for heavy rain both tonight and throughout tomorrow. We need at least 10 overs to complete the game. If they can’t get it done by tomorrow afternoon, then England and Pakistan will be joint world champions and the supposedly responsible adults will start using that crazy phrase about kissing your sister. The race starts, weather permitting, at 8am in London, 1pm in Karachi and 7pm in Melbourne. Updated at 07:19 GMT
