One floor to glory

Rival skippers Babar Azam (left) and Jos Buttler pose with the T20 World Cup Trophy on the roof of the MCG on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images

It's all come down to this. Three and a half weeks of amazing highs and debilitating lows later, the T20 World Cup has undulated to its climax, the explosiveness of Pakistan coming up against the ferocity of England. It will take a brave man to predict which way the pendulum will swing, given the very nature of the format and the extraordinary turn of events in Australia since Namibia stunned Sri Lanka in the opener on October 16, though the one forecast everyone will be wary of is that for sustained bursts of rain on Sunday as well as reserve-day Monday.

Both teams have taken the harder route to the title round, overcoming massive setbacks early on to find themselves within one win of joining West Indies as two-time winners of the World Cup.

Early scare

Pakistan were without a point after two matches, last-ball defeats to India and Zimbabwe threatening early elimination until they regrouped, found unexpected help from Netherlands (who put out South Africa) and then crushed New Zealand in the semi-final on Wednesday.

England, with three points from three matches following a shock loss to Ireland and a washout against Australia, made jerky progress to the last four, but once in the knockouts, they were a side transformed against India in Adelaide.

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Solid opening pair

Riding on a clinical bowling display, Jos Buttler and Alex Hales battered India into submission with a stirring 170-run opening partnership, the commanding 10-wicket win another potent reminder of how far they have come as a white-ball side since their first-round elimination in the 50-over World Cup in Australia in 2015.

This rerun of the 50-over 1992 World Cup final at the same iconic MCG promises a crackling spectacle if the weather holds up. Like on that occasion, Pakistan have worked up a good head of steam coming into the title round, but in England, they will encounter worthy opponents with tremendous strength in depth who seem to have all bases covered.

Pakistan's unquestioned strength is their all-star pace attack spearheaded by the rejuvenated Shaheen Shah Afridi, but Buttler and Hales form a fearless duo that have been at the forefront of the English batting campaign. In a line-up where no one else has threatened the 100-run mark, the openers have contributed more than 60 per cent of the runs and if Pakistan strike early, they could make serious inroads.

The 2009 champions too are heavily reliant on their openers, skipper Babar Azam shaking off a lean trot in the semis and Mohammad Rizwan batting with spunk and verve. Mohammad Haris is one for the future, a fabulous No.3 who entered the fray belatedly, but has since made that spot his very own.

This may not quite be the popular India-Pakistan final everyone had hoped for, but England v Pakistan have the potential to be goosebumpy, too.

28
No. of T20I games England and Pakistan have played against each other. England won 18, while Pakistan emerged victorious nine times. One game was washed out