Promise of another epic, 30 years on

MELBOURNE: There are narratives and then there are counternarratives, slow strategic buildups as opposed to instinct-fuelled turnarounds, logic against bare-knuckled whim.

Neither team conforms to any stereotype but the intrigue is discernible—this after all is a World Cup final between two teams that lost to Ireland and Zimbabwe. But England and Pakistan have not allowed those setbacks to define their campaign. They didn’t gather momentum, yet they kept pushing till they found the touch that promises a T20 version of one of the great oneday finals at the Melbourne Cricket Ground 30 years ago.

Now, like then, Pakistan are the more mercurial team—losing to their biggest rivals in an edge-of-the-seat thriller, slipping against Zimbabwe, almost packing their bags till the

Dutch threw them a lifeline by sinking

South Africa.

Pakistan didn’t need a second invitation. And so, three weeks after the defeat that almost brought them to their knees, Pakistan are back at their field of dreams. If they win, and there is already a 50% chance of that, cricket will be enriched with more legends.

England bank on batting

There’s no denying the facts though. England are the stronger batting side. Pakistan have the better bowling attack. England are fitter, sharper on the field and thrive on a data-driven approach that sparked a whiteball revolution for the ages. Pakistan have freakish talents and a raw instinct for winning ICC finals, irrespective of how they reach it.

There are similarities too. Both teams’ over-reliance on openers is well-documented. And in many ways the middle order has not been tested enough. But there is no way you can quantify a team better than the other. England bat deep, they have a complementing spin attack and some of the best hitters of the game come in at No 6 or 7.

Pakistan more than compensate with a six-man bowling attack that has among others, Shadab Khan, who has been a revelation with his all-round skills. More than anything, this is an opportunity to establish a white-ball legacy few other teams have been able to achieve. Pakistan, having won the Champions Trophy in 2017, have the opportunity to add a second T20 World Cup to it.

But England are primed to front a white-ball renaissance, having won the ODI World Cup in 2019. “Yeah, I don’t think there’s at any time loads of chances for world tournaments,” Buttler said on Saturday.

“They don’t come around too often. As a group a few of us are getting a little bit older, but I think in the professional age you can generally play a little bit longer; maybe if you look after yourself, and of course there’s always plenty to play for. “You’re never quite sure how long things are going to last for you as a player or as an era, as such. But certainly, you don’t come down these roads very often, whether you’re a youngster or you’re into your 30s.