T20 World Cup Final: Don't Give Any Opportunity to England - Shoaib Akhtar Backs Pakistan in Summit Clash

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has provided his support to Babar Azam and Co. ahead of the mega T20 World Cup final against England at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pakistan didn’t have the ideal start to the tournament as they suffered nervy defeats against India and Zimbabwe in the Super 12 stage. However, after facing criticism from all corners, Pakistan’s players put their campaign back on track with some terrific performances. They have not relied on individual brilliance to get over the line as the bowling unit has put up a collective effort on the pitch and the batters have also started getting rhythm back in the business end of the tournament.

Pakistan lifted the T20 World Cup trophy way back in 2009, they came close last year also but Matthew Wade ended their dreams in the semifinal. However, this time they have fought against all odds to make it to the finale.

T20 World Cup 2022: Full Coverage | Schedule | Results | Points Table | Gallery

Akhtar posted a message on their Twitter account and said Pakistan have nothing to lose at MCG on Sunday.

“You have to bring your A game. Don’t give any opportunity to England. It is going to be a tough final. I think Pakistan’s batting has started performing, wickets have settled and bowlers have regained their fitness. I hope nobody is favourite in this team. Whoever plays well, will win. Nobody was favourite in this tournament. Pakistan team was nowhere and now they are in the final, so we do not have anything to lose and have everything to win," Akhtar said in a video shared on Twitter.

Also Read: T20 World Cup Final, ENG vs PAK: A Match-Up Of Impact Players, Again at the MCG

Both England and Pakistan, who featured here in the 50-over World Cup final 30 years ago, are entering the title clash with blazing wins in the semifinal. The Men in Green clashed against New Zealand in the knockout match and they brought their A-game to the table to get a place in the final. It was a collective show from the team as underfire players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan also stood up on an all-important day to help their team find a place in the final.

Their comeback in the tournament was led by strong new-ball bowling, led by left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, while Mohammad Wasim Jr and Haris Rauf have supported him well. Their spin twins, leg-spinner Shadab Khan and left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, have been extremely beneficial in stemming the run-flow in middle overs.

Get the latest Cricket News, Schedule and Cricket Live Scores here