2022 T20 World Cup final: Records that can be broken
What's the story
Pakistan will meet England in the high-voltage final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. The summit clash will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Both sides have experienced up and downs in their campaigns and at a point, their entry into the semi-final also seemed unlikely. Here we look at the records that can be broken in the summit clash.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Both teams will be making their third appearance in the ICC T20 World Cup final. While Pakistan were crowned champions in the 2009 event, India defeated them in the final of the inaugural event in 2007. England, on the other hand, lifted the title in 2010. They met West Indies in the summit clash of the 2016 event and got defeated.
Rizwan
Mohammad Rizwan on verge of achieving massive milestone
Mohammad Rizwan can become the first batter to complete 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year twice. The wicket-keeper is just 19 short of the milestone. Rizwan smashed 1,326 in 29 T20Is last year. Having smashed 1,040 runs in 2022, Suryakumar Yadav is the only other batter to muster 1,000-plus T20I runs in a calendar year. Rizwan can overtake Suryakumar's tally during the contest.
Babar Azam
Most fours in T20Is
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is eight hits away from becoming the batter with the most fours in T20Is. While he currently has 353 fours in the format under his belt, Ireland's Paul Stirling tops the list with 360 fours. India's Virat Kohli (356) is the only other batter with more fours than Babar in T20Is. Babar smashed seven boundaries in the semi-final against New Zealand.
Records
Other approaching milestones for Pakistan
Babar Azam (11,109) can go past Misbah-ul-Haq (11,132) and Shahid Afridi (11,148) to become Pakistan's ninth-highest run-getter in international cricket. Rizwan needs 21 runs to become the first player to complete 2,500 T20I runs as a designated wicket-keeper. Shadab Khan (97) needs two wickets to displace Shahid Afridi as Pakistan's highest wicket-taker in T20Is. He can also complete 100 wickets in the format.
Buttler
Massive feat awaiting Jos Buttler
Besides Rizwan, Jos Buttler can also complete 2,500 runs as a designated wicket-keeper in T20Is. He is 32 runs short of the milestone. The England skipper also has a chance to displace Rizwan at the top. During the semi-final, Buttler became the first Englishman and 10th player overall to complete 2,500 runs in the format. He has 19 fifties and a ton in T20Is.
Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali on verge of registering massive feat
Moeen Ali is 38 runs away from completing 6,000 runs in international cricket. He can become the third England all-rounder after Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff to score 6,000 runs and take 300-plus wickets for England. Notably, Ben Stokes needs nine wickets to achieve the same feat. However, the England Test skipper is unlikely to get the milestone in the final encounter.
Records
Other approaching milestones for England
Stokes needs 114 runs to complete 9,000 runs in international cricket. He also needs 44 runs to complete 3,000 runs in T20 cricket. Alex Hales (567) needs 14 runs to become England's second-highest run-getter in T20 WC. Hales is also two hits away from completing 100 sixes in T20s on Australian soil. Chris Woakes is one short of completing 150 wickets in T20 cricket.
Campaign
Pakistan's campaign in the tournament
Pakistan made a terrible start, losing their first two games against India and Zimbabwe respectively. While they won their remaining three league games, Netherlands' shocking victory over South Africa played a major role in taking Pakistan to the final four. Babar Azam's men met New Zealand in the semis and recorded a comprehensive seven-wicket victory. They would be confident ahead of the final.
Campaign
England's campaign in the tournament
While England defeated Afghanistan in their opener, they suffered a shocking defeat against Ireland in their following assignment. What dented their campaign even further was the abandoned game against Australia. While the Brits won their remaining two league games, they must thank Afghanistan for giving the Aussies a tough fight and keeping their NRR down. England thrashed India by 10 wickets in the semi-final.