England captain Jos Buttler labelled Ben Stokes as the “ultimate competitor” after playing a key role in their successful run chase to lift the T20 World Cup over Pakistan on Sunday.
Stokes conceded four straight sixes to Carlos Brathwaite as England blew the 2016 T20 World Cup final in the 20th over to the West Indies.
But the English all-rounder was the mainstay of their pursuit at the MCG, scoring an unbeaten 52no from 49 balls as they chase down Pakistan’s 137-8 with six balls to spare to win by five wickets.
Pakistan’s total seemed well below par but the MCG surface proved difficult for batting and England slumped to 45-3 before Stokes took charge.
“He’s the ultimate competitor,” Buttler said. “In anything he does, a hell of a lot of experience to bank on, he timed it perfectly the impetus he and Moeen (Ali) had took it away from Pakistan.”
Sam Curran was named Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament, after taking 3-12 from four overs, while Adil Rashid was brilliant with 2-22 including a wicket maiden.
“I don’t think I should be getting this, the way Stokesy played there,” Curran said.
“People question him, but there’s no questioning him… he’s the man.”
Pakistan’s bid for victory was not helped by an untimely injury to gun left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi when he took the catch to dismiss Harry Brook.
Afridi limped off the field but returned, yet could only complete one more delivery before bowing out again, meaning Pakistan needed to make up his bowling allocation, having got through 2.1 overs.
Part-timer Iftikhar Ahmed went for 13 runs from five balls, easing the pressure on England at the time.
“Our bowling is one of the best but unfortunately Shaheen’s injury cost us a different result, but that’s part of the game,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said.
