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Cricket fans in uproar over 'shambolic' T20 World Cup final reality

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·4-min read
World Cup cricket umpires calling the game due to rain (pictured left) and (pictured right) Virat Kohli reacting.
The T20 World Cup final is under threat of being washed out with rain expected in Melbourne for the showpiece cricket event. (Getty Images)

Cricket fans have questioned the ICC's decision to hold the World Cup Final in Melbourne with thunderstorms expected to wash out the showpiece event.

Three matches at the MCG have already been washed out at this year's T20 World Cup.

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One of those matches was the must-win blockbuster between Australia and England earlier in the group stages.

Adding to the drama, Ireland defeated England at the MCG after a revised total handed them an unexpected victory.

And Melbourne is bracing for extreme weather in the coming days with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting a 95 per cent chance of showers hitting the state capital on Sunday.

More worryingly, the final's reserve day is Monday and the weather doesn't appear to be clearing up.

This could see the reserve day - with the first ball predicted at 3pm - also being washed out.

The Word Cup guidelines also require 10 overs to be played in each innings for a final to be constituted as an official match.

This is up five overs from the group stage matches.

Indian team exit the field due to a rain delay.
Up to three games have been rained out at the MCG during the T20 World Cup with rain also impacting matches in Adelaide and Sydney. (Photo by Mark Brake-ICC/ICC via Getty Images) (Mark Brake-ICC via Getty Images)

A rained out final would see either Pakistan share the trophy with the other semi-final triumphant India or England.

Cricket fans are aware of the situation and following Pakistan's dominant victory over New Zealand at the SCG on Wednesday, fans took to social media to blast the planning.

Many questioned why more matches weren't scheduled at grounds with cover, considering La Nina has impacted the east coast of Australia.

Pakistan reach first World Cup final since 2008

While the weather is unpredictable, Pakistan left nothing to chance with star batter Babar Azam returning to form in Wednesday night's semi-final win over New Zealand at the SCG.

Azam scored 53 as Pakistan chased down the Black Caps' 4-152 with five balls to spare.

In doing so, Babar made good on batting coach Matthew Hayden's promise that he would rebound in a big match, setting the tone with Mohammad Rizwan in the chase.

Just days after looking like their tournament was over, Pakistan will now feature in their first World Cup final since 2008 against either India or England at the MCG on Sunday.

There they could replicate the feats of their great 1992 team, who came from the dead in the 50-over World Cup in Australia to beat England in the final.

Pakistan's Shan Masood (pictured left) shakes hands with New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell (pictured right).
Pakistan's Shan Masood (pictured left) shakes hands with New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell (pictured right) after winning the T20 World Cup semi-final. (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images) (SAEED KHAN via Getty Images)

"I'm very confident about my batting," Babar said.

"I struggled a bit in a few matches but today I felt good. So I will continue that rhythm in the final.

"Such up and down in form is part and parcel of the game, every player goes through such phases.

"I could not perform well in the first three matches but it could not shake my belief in myself. My teammates also kept their faith in me."

with AAP

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