A new champion in Twenty20 cricket is set to be crowned on Sunday, as the ICC T20 World Cup final sees England and Pakistan lock horns at one of cricket’s biggest venues.
Here is what you need to know about the final:
When and where is the final?
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the biggest stadium in Australia with a capacity of 100,000 spectators, will host the final on Sunday, November 13.
What time is the final?
The match starts at 7pm (08:00 GMT and 13:00 PST).
Who is playing?
Pakistan and England.
How did they get to the final?
Well, that’s the question most fans have been asking about Pakistan!
After losing their first two games on the last balls against India and Zimbabwe, Pakistan tweaked their lineup, upped the ante and found themselves winning the last three games. The Netherlands then helped their cause by beating South Africa and pushing Pakistan to the second spot in the group. They then beat their favourite World Cup semi-final opponents New Zealand and that’s how they reached the final.
England started as one of the favourites and opened their campaign with an easy win over Afghanistan. They faced Ireland and the rain in their second match, which they ended up losing on a rain-adjusted target just as they were looking to take control. Their next match against Australia was abandoned after heavy rain. The 2010 champions then overcame the stutter and two wins out of two against New Zealand and Sri Lanka took them to the semi-finals. A semi-final against India could have been tricky but they barely broke a sweat and chased the target without losing a single wicket.
How many T20 World Cups have they won?
One each. Pakistan in 2009, England in 2010.
Who are the favourites?
The T20 team rankings separate both teams by just one place (England second, Pakistan third). Both teams recently played a closely contested seven-match T20 series which England won 4-3.
England’s batting dominance and superior fielding will make them slight favourites against a bowler-heavy Pakistan side.
What is the head-to-head record?
England hold a clear advantage in the overall head-to-head record as they have won 18 of their 28 contests.
Pakistan have won nine, while one ended without a result. The last five matches have seen three England wins against Pakistan’s two.
What is the predicted playing XI?
England: Jos Buttler (c), Alex Hales, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Muhammad Rizwan (WK), Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
How much money does the winner get?
$1.6m
What about the losing finalists?
$800,000
What if it rains on Sunday?
There’s a whole load of tournament rules but if they cannot have a 10-over match, it will move to Monday.
Who are the players to watch?
England’s opening pair of Buttler and Hales blazed through the chase against India and will be key against arguably the best bowling unit of the tournament.
Left-arm fast-bowler Afridi eased his way back into the Pakistan side from injury. He seems to have found his rhythm and had quickly snuck up as the joint top wicket-taker for Pakistan along with Shadab.
