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The covers are still off at the MCG where it is yet to rain during the T20 World Cup final between England and Pakistan.
Having been sent in to bat, Pakistan is 4-98 after 13.5 overs.
Sam Curran took the first wicket inside an nervy first five overs with Mohammad Rizwan cruelly chopping on for 15 off 14.
Adil Rashid came on outside the powerplay and struck with his first ball when Mohammad Haris failed to clear the ropes.
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The spinner made it two in the 12th over with the key wicket of Babar Azam (32 off 28) who was caught and bowled after being deceived by a googly.
Ian Smith said in commentary it was “a weird sort of dismissal for a player with so much ability”.
The over went on to be a wicket-maiden, which former England captain Eoin Morgan called “absolutely extraordinary”.
Pakistan’s slide continued in the following over with Iftikhar Ahmed nicking off to Ben Stokes for a six-ball duck.
Rashid finished his four-over spell with the stunning figures of 2-22.
A beautiful Melbourne spring morning gave way to dark clouds and cooler temperatures by the mid-afternoon.
Nonetheless, as of 7.10pm, the rain was still holding off at the MCG allowing play to start.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts a 80 per cent chance of rain in the city, with the chance of a thunderstorm, with fears the World Cup final will either be rained out or shortened.
While there is a reserve day on Monday – which also has a likelihood of rain – tournament organisers would prefer to play a shortened final on Sunday than a full one on Monday.
At least 10 overs need to be bowled in the run chase to complete the final.
“Every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day,” the T20 World Cup playing conditions state.
“Only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day.”
If both days are washed out the teams will share the trophy, as happened in the 2002 Champions Trophy tournament when Sri Lanka and India made the final.
The 2019 World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and India was played over two days.
TEAMS
England XI: Jos Buttler (c, wk), Alex Hales, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid
Pakistan XI: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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Will rain ruin the T20 World Cup Final? | 02:33
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