Melbourne: Not rain. Not 1992 redux. Not Babar Azam. Not Shadab Khan. Not Shaheen Shah Afridi, who pulled out of his runup and hobbled out after one delivery in the 16th over to symbolise Pakistan’s day. Not an army of green. Not destiny. Just Ben Stokes.
In the end, in another World Cup final, in another famous England white-ball triumph, it’s Ben Stokes. The man who owns the big moments. Who waits till the tide turns his way. Who starts out batting like a cat on a hot tin roof on a bouncy MCG, against a fierce array of Pakistani pace, and ends up being its emperor supreme.
Ben Stokes, the greatest match-winner of his generation. You will remember the name forever, Pakistan. You will have it on your lips for the next few weeks.
Arguably, Stokes had a strange sort of tournament with the bat coming into the World Cup final: 2 vs Afghanistan, 6 vs Ireland, 8 vs New Zealand, 42 not out vs the Lankans. Not his usual fluent self. Not in T20Is in Australia at this time of year.
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