Ben Stokes is just made for crunch situations. After a blip in 2016, star England all-rounder is nailing the crunch situations like only he can and he delivered again when it mattered the most. Despite chasing a modest target of 138 runs, England were in a tricky position losing three wickets inside the first six overs including that of skipper Jos Buttler. Even though Stokes would have liked to not be in pressure situations again and again but somehow they find him and he just excels in them.
Stokes played out difficult spells from Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf on a tough surface against an outstanding bowling attack but since the run rate was in control, he didn’t take unnecessary risks. He did the dirty work before dominating in the latter stages to completely blow Pakistan away. In the process Stokes brought up his maiden T20I fifty and what a stage to do it. Stokes stayed unbeaten on 52 off 49 and became the first England batter to score a half-century in 50-over and 20-over world cup finals.
Unique list
Stokes is one of just three players to achieve a unique record. Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara became the first cricketer to do it in 2009 after his unbeaten 64-run knock against Pakistan in the 2009 World T20 final, which had come after his 54-run innings against Australia in the 2007 World Cup. Sangakkara also scored a match-winning half-century against India in the World T20 2014.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir followed Sangakkara’s footsteps when he scored 97 in the 2011 World Cup final, after his 75-run knock in the inaugural World T20 in 2007. Coincidentally, all the three players in the list are left-handers. While Gambhir and Stokes ended up on the winning side in both matches, Sangakkara won the T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka in 2014 but was on the losing side in 2009 World T20 and 2007 Cricket World Cup.
