England will look to deny Pakistan a fairytale finish in the World Cup final and become the first nation to hold both white-ball trophies
“Not getting over the line will stay with the 11 of us for the rest of our lives.” It is 30 years since England lost the 1992 World Cup final to Pakistan in Melbourne but the pain of the defeat still stings as a new generation prepares for a repeat at the MCG on Sunday
That was Neil Fairbrother, top scorer for England in the final and now agent to three of those trying to beat Pakistan today – Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone.
It hurts now because those playing know they should have lifted the trophy, not Imran Khan. “As a whole we were the best team but in the end it just proved one game too many for us,” says Fairbrother.
Not many modern players know much or care about the past but those guys know their agent was one of the best one-day batsmen of his generation at a time when being good in limited overs cricket held a fraction of the value it does now.