England hero Sam Curran earns Wasim Akram comparison after T20 World Cup final win

Left-arm swing bowler took 3-12 against Pakistan sealing him both player of the final and the tournament awards

Ben Stokes and Liam Livingstone of England celebrate victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 13, 2022. Getty

England players celebrate with the trophy. AP

England celebrate winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup final. Getty

Ben Stokes and Sam Curran of England celebrate. Getty

Ben Stokes and Sam Curran of England celebrate. Getty

England's Ben Stokes and Liam Livingstone celebrate. AFP

England supporters celebrate victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. AFP

Pakistan players wait for presentation ceremonies after losing to England. AP

Alex Hales, Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid and Chris Jordan of England celebrate. Getty

Ben Stokes of England celebrates. Getty

Ben Stokes of England celebrates victory. AFP

Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi is injured after taking a catch to dismiss England's Harry Brook. AFP

Shaheen Afridi of Pakistan receives treatment for an injury. Getty

Ben Stokes of England hits out. Getty

Adil Rashid of England celebrates after taking the wicket of Mohammad Haris of Pakistan. Getty

Adil Rashid of England takes a catch off his own bowling to dismiss Babar Azam of Pakistan. Getty

England's Moeen Ali bats against Pakistan. AP

Pakistan's Haris Rauf celebrates the wicket of England's Jos Buttler. AFP

Sam Curran of England celebrates after taking the wicket of the Muhammad Rizwan of Pakistan. Getty

Pakistan captain Babar Azam bats. EPA

Pakistan's Shan Masood is beaten for pace. AFP

Shan Masood of Pakistan receives medical attention after being hit on the helmet. EPA

Jos Buttler of England leaves the field after being dismissed. EPA

Shadab Khan of Pakistan hits out on his way to making a score of 20. Getty

Shan Masood of Pakistan plays a shot. EPA

England's Ben Stokes plays a reverse sweep. AFP

Pakistan and England supporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. AP

England's Sam Curran bowls. AFP

Ben Stokes of England plays a stroke. Getty

Harry Brook of England dives to make his ground. Getty

England's Ben Stokes congratulates teammate Sam Curran at the end of his bowling spell. AP

England captain Jos Buttler plays a ramp shot. AFP

England's Chris Jordan celebrates with teammate Ben Stokes after dismissing Pakistan's Shadab Khan. PA

England's Ben Stokes. PA

Pakistan's Mohammad Wasim bowls. AFP

Shadab Khan of Pakistan celebrates after taking the wicket of Harry Brook of England. Getty

Naseem Shah of Pakistan appeals. Getty

A left-arm swing bowler taking three wickets to help win the World Cup for his team, and the player of the final award for himself, all at the MCG?

The portents from the World Cup of 30 years ago were supposed to favour Pakistan. And yet it was England who ultimately had the keenest resemblance to the Class of 1992.

Sam Curran might not have been favourably compared to the great Wasim Akram many times before.

But his contribution to England winning the 2022 T20 World Cup final against Pakistan was reminiscent of the “Sultan of Swing”.

He took 3-12 from four overs, sent down 15 balls, and took home the awards for both player of the final and the tournament.

Jos Buttler, England’s captain, termed Curran “a revelation”, and warned he is getting better all the time.

“I think he would take being compared to Wasim Akram, that is a pretty good rap,” Buttler said.

“He is a top performer. He is only going to get better and better as well. He is only a young man, but he already has a lot of experience in those shoulders.

“He always wants to ball. You tell him he is on, and he is already ready to bowl. I am just so pleased for him. He has got everything he deserves.

“He loves those crunch moments. He is a brilliant cricketer who is a deserved player of the tournament. We are so proud to have him in our team.”

While England were doubling up trophies, becoming the first side ever to hold both the T20 and ODI World Cups at the same time, Curran was becoming the star of his first World Cup.

The 24-year-old all-rounder had been injured when England became 50-over world champions on home soil in 2019.

“It has been a great tournament for us,” Curran said.

“We are going to enjoy this. It has been the first World Cup for me and we have won the tournament in front of any amazing crowd.

“Coming into this tournament, I wanted to be adaptable. I haven’t bowled at the death so much in my career.

“It is an area I always want to keep working at. I like to keep working on my batting but in this line up it is incredibly hard to get up there.

“I’m always looking to improve, but we are not thinking about that now – we are world champs.”