ISLAMABAD / MELBOURNE
England on Thursday set up a World Twenty20 Final against Pakistan by outclassing India by 10 wickets.
Pakistan and England meet on Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), as the winner will be crowned as World T20I Champion.
Pakistan had rattled New Zealand comprehensively by 7 wickets in the first Semi Final at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), as the majority of cricket fraternity wanted an India-Pakistan final. However, the Englishmen on Thursday exerted their sheer authority over Team India as the latter faced a demoralizing defeat by 10 wickets in Second Semi Final.
Against all odds, the Green Shirts are through to their third Twenty20 World Cup final. The performance of Pakistan team astonishingly resembles with that of them in 1992 World Cup.
In 1992, Pakistan had a disappointing start as they had lost three of their first five fixtures and one being ending in no result. Their elimination loomed and they were at the brink of World Cup exit. At the later part of their campaign, the Green Shirts had overcome some strong sides such as hosts Australia and the Sri Lankans. They won their last three games and therefore, progressed through to the Semi Finals.
Their Semi Final was lined up against one of the hosts and favorites for the Cup, New Zealand. Pakistan proved every prediction faulty and left behind New Zealand to set up their Final against England. Then they thrashed England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to clinch their maiden World Cup title.
As Pakistan made their way through to Final of the 2022 Twenty20 World Cup, the cricket fraternity is looking for dramatic resemblance between Pakistan’s 1992 and 2022 World Cup campaigns.
There are four key points which prove the resemblance. Firstly, Pakistan’s shaky start at both the tournaments. They’d lost three of their first five in 1992, and they lost their both opening games this time around as well.
Secondly, no one was expecting the Green Shirts to sneak their way through to finals and Grand Final of both tournaments. Proving every pundit wrong, Team Pakistan reached Finals.
Thirdly, the teams faced by Pakistan at both tournaments’ semi final and final are same. Fourthly, the Green Shirts will be playing the Grand 2022 Final at MCG, the same venue to host 1992 WC finale.
