Jos Buttler labelled Ben Stokes the "ultimate competitor" after his first T20I half-century saw England beat Pakistan to win the T20 World Cup at the MCG.

Chasing a target of 138 after bowling first, England captain Buttler had hit 26 from 17 deliveries himself but departed with his team still needing 93 more runs.

After a slow start, Stokes eventually took the game to Pakistan along with Moeen Ali (19 from 12). Stokes then hit the winning run to end on an unbeaten 52 from 49 balls.

There were five fours and a six in that knock, which finished with the final ball of the 19th over.

"He's the ultimate competitor in anything he does," Buttler said at the post-match presentation.

"He's got a hell of a lot of experience to bank on, he can take a lot on his shoulders. He timed it perfectly, that impetus he and Moeen Ali had at that phase of the game just took it away from Pakistan."

Speaking to Sky Sports after the presentation, Buttler was asked if he had been comfortable leaving Stokes at the crease after his own dismissal.

"I was comfortable after 10 overs, and then I said to someone: 'If he played like that in a Test match, he'd drop himself'," Buttler joked. "He managed to get it done in the end."

Buttler shared the praise around, with England's success scarcely seeming imaginable after a Super 12 loss to Ireland.

"To be able to win the T20 World Cup, I'm just immensely proud of everyone here," he said. "It's been a long journey and a few changes of how we've played over the last few years, and we're reaping the rewards of that.

"It's been a fantastic tournament. We've been away for a long time; we went to Pakistan before coming here, which was a really valuable time for the group.

"This felt a long way away after the Ireland match, but the character we've shown from that point on in must-win games has been amazing."

England limited Pakistan to 137-8 from their 20 overs, with the turning point coming at the start of the 12th over when Adil Rashid (2-22) caught and bowled Babar Azam for 32 before completing a maiden over.

"Absolutely that was a huge swing in the game, that was a fantastic over from Adil," Buttler said. "The last three games especially, he's been outstanding for us. He's always been the guy that we've thrown the ball to to make things happen.

"It certainly wasn't easy, we managed to get away to a decent start, which controlled the run rate. We bat deep as well, which gave us a lot of options and trust."

Ben Stokes says England's bowling attack was the key factor in their victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup final on Sunday, despite his crucial half-century.

Sam Curran (3-12) and Adil Rashid (2-22) bowled superbly to restrict Pakistan to just 137-8, though England's chase did not get off to the greatest of starts as openers Alex Hales and Jos Buttler were removed within the powerplay.

Stokes came in with England 32-2 after 3.3 overs, but smashed a sublime 52 off 49 deliveries to record his first ever T20I half-century and help his country to their second T20 World Cup title.

Stokes was keen to highlight England's bowlers as the reason for the win at the MCG in Melbourne, telling Sky Sports: "I think when you chase totals in games like this, you forget the hard work that goes in before.

"I thought the way that we bowled, Adil Rashid, Sam Curran, that's what won us the game. To restrict them to whatever we did, bowlers have got to take a lot of credit for that.

"We didn't feel under too much pressure with the run chase. I never felt it was out of our hands at all. It's never really panic stations when it's under eight an over."

England's triumph comes after a shock defeat to Ireland in the group stage that threatened to derail their tournament, having come in as one of the favourites.

Stokes referenced that loss after the final victory, saying: "I think with that [Ireland defeat] being so early in the competition, we obviously had to address it, say what we said and then let it go.

"In tournaments, you can't carry baggage. That was a little blip, but the best teams learn from their mistakes, they take it on the chin but they never let it affect them and they just let it go and move onto the next challenge."

England's success comes in new captain Jos Buttler's first tournament since taking over from previous incumbent Eoin Morgan, who led the team to ODI World Cup glory in 2019.

Stokes says Buttler has built on Morgan's good work to create history of his own, adding: "Jos has now created his own legacy.

"When the great man stepped down [pointing to Morgan] and Jos took over, you look how quickly he's managed to take control of the team and progress it from the legacy that Morgs [Morgan] has left.

"He's a guy who everyone follows. I think it shouldn't be taken for granted how hard it can be to make tactical decisions under pressure in this format. Ninety-five per cent of his decision-making he's got right. We're lucky to have him."

Ben Stokes says England's bowling attack was the key factor in their victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup final on Sunday, despite his crucial half-century.

Sam Curran (3-12) and Adil Rashid (2-22) bowled superbly to restrict Pakistan to just 137-8, though England's chase did not get off to the greatest of starts as openers Alex Hales and Jos Buttler were removed within the powerplay.

Stokes came in with England 32-2 after 3.3 overs, but smashed a sublime 52 off 49 deliveries to record his first ever T20I half-century and help his country to their second T20 World Cup title.

Stokes was keen to highlight England's bowlers as the reason for the win at the MCG in Melbourne, telling Sky Sports: "I think when you chase totals in games like this, you forget the hard work that goes in before.

"I thought the way that we bowled, Adil Rashid, Sam Curran, that's what won us the game. To restrict them to whatever we did, bowlers have got to take a lot of credit for that.

"We didn't feel under too much pressure with the run chase. I never felt it was out of our hands at all. It's never really panic stations when it's under eight an over."

England's triumph comes after a shock defeat to Ireland in the group stage that threatened to derail their tournament, having come in as one of the favourites.

Stokes referenced that loss after the final victory, saying: "I think with that [Ireland defeat] being so early in the competition, we obviously had to address it, say what we said and then let it go.

"In tournaments, you can't carry baggage. That was a little blip, but the best teams learn from their mistakes, they take it on the chin but they never let it affect them and they just let it go and move onto the next challenge."

England's success comes in new captain Jos Buttler's first tournament since taking over from previous incumbent Eoin Morgan, who led the team to ODI World Cup glory in 2019.

Stokes says Buttler has built on Morgan's good work to create history of his own, adding: "Jos has now created his own legacy.

"When the great man stepped down [pointing to Morgan] and Jos took over, you look how quickly he's managed to take control of the team and progress it from the legacy that Morgs [Morgan] has left.

"He's a guy who everyone follows. I think it shouldn't be taken for granted how hard it can be to make tactical decisions under pressure in this format. Ninety-five per cent of his decision-making he's got right. We're lucky to have him."

England won the T20 World Cup after Ben Stokes' first ever T20I half-century helped them to a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in Sunday's final at the MCG.

Excellent bowling in particular from Adil Rashid and Sam Curran held Pakistan to just 137-8, and England overcame some nervy moments in the chase to win their second T20 World Cup.

After England won the toss and opted to bowl in Melbourne, Pakistan struggled to get going, mustering just four boundaries on their way to 68-2 after 10 overs.

Despite Shan Masood's best efforts (38 runs from 28 balls), England then tore through Pakistan's middle order, Curran finishing with excellent figures of 3-12.

Pakistan required early wickets, and Shaheen Afridi found just what they needed with the final ball of the first over, sending an absolute ripper crashing through Alex Hales' middle stump.

Jos Buttler and Phil Salt steadied the ship before Salt was dismissed in the fourth over when smashing Haris Rauf's delivery straight to the waiting Iftikhar Ahmed, before Rauf then claimed the key wicket of Buttler (26 off 17) as the England skipper nicked behind.

England were now in real peril of letting the game and tournament slip through their fingers, though an important third-wicket stand took them to 84-4 before Brook fell for 20 from 23 deliveries, Afridi taking the catch off Shadab Khan's bowling.

Afridi injured himself in his role in that dismissal, and though he tried to return, he could only bowl one ball of his third over before being forced off the field.

Stokes and Moeen Ali took full advantage, nailing boundaries as they closed in on the target, with Moeen hitting three fours in the 17th over to take England within 12 of victory.

He was removed in the 19th over by Mohammad Wasim, but Stokes and Liam Livingstone finished the job, with Stokes hitting the winning run to end on 52 off 49 deliveries and win the tournament for his nation.

Curran shines in brightest moment

In the biggest game of his young career, Curran's 3-12 and 15 dot balls were key in restricting Pakistan to a score of just 137.

Along with Rashid (2-22), England's bowling attack set their star batting order up to go and win the game, which they just about managed.

Stokes comes up trumps again

Stokes, one of England's main men over recent years, came up huge for his country yet again with a vital innings to help them to victory.

Coming in with England 32-2 after 3.3 overs, Stokes' first ever T20I half-century came at the perfect time to add another historic performance to his already impressive resume.

Ben Stokes is backing England to improve on their group-stage performances when they face India in a "do or die" T20 World Cup semi-final.

Stokes' unbeaten 42 helped England to a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday, ensuring they progressed from Group 1 after bouncing back from their below-par start to the tournament.

Things looked bleak for Jos Buttler's team when they slipped to a shock defeat against Ireland in their second group game, while they were also forced to endure a nervy finish against Sri Lanka after losing five wickets in the space of just seven overs.

However, Stokes expects England to produce a more polished display in Adelaide on Thursday, saying: "We had a few up and down moments in the group stages, but we can forget about those now. 

"We know if we execute anywhere near where we want to be then we will be a very hard team to beat.

"We're in a position now that it's do or die. What I don't think anyone will do is take a backward step. 

"We talk a lot about how we want to play when it comes to the pressure moments, and what we'll see here is us trying to deliver on what we talk about, not taking the cautious option."

Stokes was part of the England team that beat India en route to being crowned ODI world champions in 2019, and he thinks Buttler's side must replicate the approach they adopted in that win.

"It's the way we went out and played that game, rather than looking at the result, just look at the mindset and mentality," Stokes said.

"We didn't take a backward step, so I think we can take a lot of confidence, knowing that if we go in with a similar mindset then hopefully, we'll do alright."

Meanwhile, Stokes says England will trust the advice of security consultant Reg Dickason as they prepare for a red-ball tour of Pakistan next month, with the build-up to that visit being overshadowed by a gun attack on Imran Khan.

"Obviously what happened last week was a bit of a shock to see," Stokes said. "But Reg has been out there. He's the best man to assess the situation.

"Whatever Reg comes back with, the players and the people going out on that tour 100 per cent trust him, because he's a man you trust with your life."

Jos Buttler believes Ben Stokes will "grow and grow" as England aim for T20 World Cup glory in Australia.

Stokes' unbeaten 42 helped guide England to a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday at the Sydney Cricket Ground, ensuring they progressed from Group 1 alongside New Zealand, last year's runners up.

It means the reigning champions and hosts Australia failed to reach the last four, with England set to face the winner of Group 2 in Adelaide for a place in the final.

England appeared to be cruising towards victory when, having limited Sri Lanka to 141-8, Buttler and opening partner Alex Hales plundered their way to 75 without loss.

Yet the loss of five wickets for 36 runs in the space of seven overs resulted in a nervy finish for England, and Stokes had to step up late on to set the stage for Chris Woakes to strike the winning boundary with two balls to spare.

"Not a great watch, to be honest – didn't enjoy that much," Buttler said at the post-match presentation.

"We knew, coming here, we had to find a way to win the game, thankfully we did that."

Asked if Stokes was the ideal player for the scenario, Buttler replied: "Absolutely, it's the kind of situation he's made for, I'm delighted for him and when he's at the crease, that gives you a sense of calm.

"He can play a lot of roles, he effects the game in all facets, he's a proper competitor and it's getting to the stage of the competition where you'll just see him grow and grow."

Stokes missed last year's T20 World Cup, and only returned to action in the format in a warm-up series against Australia ahead of this edition of the tournament, with his score on Saturday his best since he managed 46 against India in March 2021.

Another key player for England against Sri Lanka was Adil Rashid, whose figures of 1-16 saw him named the Player of the Match.

When asked if he was worried by the fast start Sri Lanka made with the bat, Buttler said: "Yeah, a little bit, they got off to a really good start and having lost the toss we knew the wicket would probably slow up as we went along.

"I thought it was a fantastic over from Adil Rashid at the back end of the powerplay to change the momentum. He's been someone we've always turned to and I was really pleased with his performance.

"I think a lot of people always look at the end column, maybe he hasn't picked up the wickets he usually does. I don't think he's bowled with much luck, to be honest. He's had a few chances that were missed, I think he's still bowling well, and on surfaces like this he's a really tough bowler to face."

Rashid took the wicket of opener Pathum Nissanka, whose 67 had anchored Sri Lanka's innings. 

Pathum has now accumulated over 1,000 T20I runs, becoming the 10th player from his nation to reach the milestone.

Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes held their nerve to guide England to a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka and into the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

Boasting a better net run-rate than hosts Australia in Group 1, England knew victory would be enough at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday to see them progress alongside New Zealand at the expense of the reigning champions.

Matters looked bleak for Jos Buttler's team, however, when a sloppy opening seven overs bowlers allowed Sri Lanka to advance for 65-1, yet spearheaded by Mark Wood's 3-26 and Adil Rashid's 1-16 – his wicket being the dismissal of the excellent Pathum Nissanka (67) – England took seven wickets for just 76 runs for the remainder of the innings, limiting their opponents to 141-8.

England looked to be strolling to victory at 75-0 from the opening 43 deliveries, with Alex Hales and Buttler excelling in the power play before the latter succumbed to Wanindu Hasaranga.

Hales, whose 47 included eight boundaries, was caught and bowled by Hasaranga two overs later, with Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali falling in quick succession as England wobbled.

Sam Curran picked out Kasun Rajitha at fine leg to pile the pressure on, yet Stokes (42) – so many times a hero – provided the composure, chipping away to leave England needing five runs from the final over.

It was Woakes who provided the final flourish, whipping a cut away to the boundary to ensure victory with two balls to spare.

England's redemption shot

Under Eoin Morgan, England reached the semi-finals of last year's T20 World Cup, only to fall short against New Zealand, who themselves were beaten by Australia in the final.

England – who have now won each of their last eight men's T20Is against Sri Lanka – will now face the winner of Group 2 for a place in the showpiece match this time around.

Pathum reaches Sri Lanka milestone

His knock might ultimately have proved fruitless, but it saw Pathum become the 10th Sri Lanka batter to accumulate 1,000 T20I runs, while he is the second-fastest to achieve the feat in terms of innings (after Kusal Perera).

Hasaranga also had a fine match with the ball, finishing with 2-23. It means he ends the tournament with 15 wickets, one short of his tally from the 2021 edition (16), which is the highest on record in the competition's history.

Ben Stokes has been backed to deliver for England as they face a huge T20 World Cup match against New Zealand on Tuesday.

England are down in third in Group 1 with two games to play, dropping below Australia following their defeat of Ireland on Monday.

Jos Buttler's side cannot afford to slip up against the Black Caps, but assistant coach Paul Collingwood believes this to be the sort of scenario in which superstar Stokes thrives.

The Test captain averages just 18.57 in the shortest format and has never hit a T20I fifty, yet Collingwood has no doubt about his ability in "must-win games".

"The one person you want in your team when the pressure is on is Ben Stokes," Collingwood said.

"We all know what he's capable of, and not just match-winning innings, but match-winning innings under serious amounts of pressure.

"If it comes down to the crunch, you want a man like Ben Stokes walking out.

"It's not just what he gives with the bat – the options with the ball and the skill level he brings into the field as well. It's not always just the runs that he makes, but it's everything else that he gives.

"But I'm pretty confident there's an innings just around the corner, and now we're coming into the crucial part of the World Cup, it's almost a knockout stage for us.

"It's must-win games. You always see Ben come to the fore in those situations."

Opponents New Zealand are in a healthier position after two wins from their two completed matches, leading the standings.

But fast bowler Lockie Ferguson knows his team cannot afford complacency as they prepare to face England.

"There's a long way to go for us, and we need to make sure we take it game by game," he said.

"England's going to have a lot of firepower for us that we need to combat in this next game. I'm sure the boys will be up for the next challenge.

"[I expect] what you always expect from England. They come out very hot, they pride themselves on that aggressive nature, and they bat very deep.

"We need to come out with our own brand of aggressive play, but that's not to say it's anything different to what we have done."

England and Australia's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup continue to hang in the balance after their clash was washed out without a ball being bowled on Friday.

England's meeting with their rivals had been billed as a crucial game for both teams after Jos Buttler's side suffered a shock defeat to Ireland, while the hosts joined them on two points in Group 1 after losing to New Zealand and beating Sri Lanka.

Heavy rain in Melbourne resulted in a delay over of almost two hours before the abandonment was confirmed, with officials having completed two inspections of the MCG's sodden turf.

After seeing the points shared, England will now likely have to win their final two group fixtures – against New Zealand and Sri Lanka – to have any hope of reaching the last four.

Speaking to Sky Sports before it was confirmed there would be no play, Ben Stokes insisted England would relish the pressure of facing two do-or-die matches.

"It's almost going to be like playing a final every game. That's what these competitions are all about," Stokes said. "You're always under pressure to perform in these.

"You can't expect everyone to deliver all of the time, but it's just about your bouncebackability and we've generally been quite good at that."

Buttler, meanwhile, had been due to make his 100th T20I appearance on Friday, and was bitterly disappointed to see the match called off.

"It was due to be a massive occasion, we're very disappointed," Buttler told Sky Sports.

"It would have been a great place to do it, but we have full focus on our next match and keeping our tournament alive. We've been playing some good cricket leading into the tournament.

"It was a really disappointing performance the other night, but we've retained full faith in the group and have confidence in the players for the rest of the tournament."

England face New Zealand at the Gabba in Brisbane on Tuesday, one day after Australia take on Ireland at the same venue.

Matthew Mott says England will not "throw the baby out with the bath water" for a monumental T20 World Cup showdown with Australia following their stunning defeat to Ireland.

England's hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals suffered a shock blow when they were consigned to a five-run Duckworth-Lewis-Stern loss at the hands of the Irish, with rain cutting short Wednesday's contest at the MCG.

Jos Buttler's side are third in Group 1 and must respond when they face a fifth-placed Australia side who are level on points with them.

Mott, England's Australian white-ball head coach, ruled out ringing the changes for a huge clash in Melbourne on Friday.

He said: "We have played really solid cricket for the last month…we are not going throw the baby out with the bath water. It's just business as usual. We'll go through the sessions, see who's pulled up well and make changes.

"But it is very unlikely to change the structure of the team. It might be a change here or two depending on how the bowlers pulled up."

Ben Stokes has failed to reach double figures in both World Cup knocks so far, but Mott expects the Test skipper to come good with the bat.

"He's an incredible player for our team," Mott said of the all-rounder. "He's a real leader in our group as well, apart from the official leaders.

"I thought his bowling has been a real bonus for us. I think a lot of people probably underestimate his bowling coming into this tournament.

"And he's been key for us. I think he's bowled some big overs particularly in the powerplay. With the bat, he hasn't come off yet. But his career would suggest that at some point someone's going to pay a price and hopefully that's Australia in a day's time."

Harry Brook and Ben Stokes impressed as England stormed to a six-wicket triumph over Pakistan at the Gabba in their final warm-up fixture before the T20 World Cup.

Pakistan set England a target of 161, led by opener Shan Masood top-scoring with 39 runs off 22 deliveries, while David Willey impressed with the ball by taking two wickets for England.

England opener Phil Salt was bowled by Naseem Shah for just one run, but a rapid innings from Stokes (36 off 18), coupled with Liam Livingstone's 28, put England in good stead to secure victory by the time of their dismissals.

Brook scored 45 not out from 24 balls and Sam Curran smashed an unbeaten 33 from just 14 to finish the job as England chased down Pakistan's total in just 14.4 overs.

England middle order impresses

With their openers producing a combined 10 runs off 16 balls, it fell on the middle order to win England the match, and they did so in thrilling fashion.

Stokes, Livingstone, Brook and Curran smashed the ball to all areas and accounted for all 12 of their team's sixes.

Each of that quartet finished with strike rates of at least 175 to help England to a morale-boosting victory before their World Cup campaign gets underway against Afghanistan on Saturday.

Jordan improves after tough start

Pakistan ended up on 160-8 from 19 overs, with the match shortened slightly due to a brief rain stoppage.

They had threatened a bigger total, with Chris Jordan smashed for 27 off his first two overs without taking a wicket, but the England bowler steadied the ship to finish with figures of 1-36 from four, including a final over which went for just three runs and included the wicket of Mohammad Wasim (26).

Jordan's bowling at the death ensured England's target was achievable, and they then chased it down comfortably.

Joe Root declared he has "never had more fun playing professional cricket" after England's terrific red-ball form continued with a 2-1 series victory over South Africa.

Having recorded memorable triumphs over New Zealand and India since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over as the side's captain and coach partnership, England enjoyed further success as they sealed a nine-wicket victory over the Proteas at The Oval on Monday.

England have now claimed four consecutive series wins over South Africa, and have won six of their seven Tests under the new regime.

They have also earned widespread praise for their adventurous style under McCullum – dubbed 'Bazball' – and Root has been impressed by their rapid progress.  

"It's been absolute class," the former skipper said. "It's been great to be part of, so much fun to play the way we have played, and to win six out of seven is a reflection of the quality with which we've played. 

"It makes the winter and beyond look very exciting for this team. To know there's still more potential and areas we can improve is the most exciting part of it. 

"We're definitely not the finished article, but to see the strides we've made in such a short space of time has been a breath of fresh air. 

"I'm buzzing about it, to be honest, looking forward to the next series already!

"I've never had more fun playing professional cricket. Honestly, it is hard to put into words. You turn up every day, and you're very excited about what's going to happen. It's the unknown. 

"It's quite a strange feeling to have played 120-odd games, still to have that feeling when you turn up every day. 

"It's a really good place to be. It keeps you very hungry and motivated. You can bounce off the energy of everybody else who is in the same mindset."

Root then compared England's development to that of the country's one-day side, who won the 2019 World Cup following a change in style under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan.

"Some of the things we'd never seen before in Test cricket happened in a short space of time. It's nice to know what we're capable of," he added. 

"It almost feels like - I hate drawing the comparison, but there is a small feeling of what it was like when we started to make those really big scores in the white-ball team. 

"That's the exciting thing - what is the limit, how far can we go? 

"You look at what that team has achieved over a period of time. I know it is early days and a lot of different elements to Test cricket, compared to the white-ball format, but it is very exciting that there is the same sort of vibe around, in my mind anyway."

England captain Ben Stokes was proud of his team's attitude after seeing them secure a series win against South Africa at The Oval on Monday.

Starting the day needing just 33 runs with all 10 wickets remaining in their second innings, England took just 5.3 overs to reach their target of 130, sealing a 2-1 win in the three-Test series.

Alex Lees (39) was the only batsman to fall, trapped lbw by Kagiso Rabada, but his fellow opener Zak Crawley (69 not out) and Ollie Pope (11no) saw the hosts home.

It was England's sixth win in their last seven Test matches, and Stokes – who was named player of the series – outlined how pleased he was with the way the team has embraced the attacking mindset promoted by him and head coach Brendon McCullum.

"It has been a great series for us as a team," he told Sky Sports.

"It has been a series where we haven't had any real individual standout performances, but different people throughout the series have put their hands up in crucial periods for us.

"For me, it is about the clarity of the decisions. Me and Brendon are the guys who are sending this message to this group of players, I said to the lads in the dressing room the other day that the person who is delivering the message can only do so much."

Ollie Robinson returned during the series for the first time since an underwhelming Ashes series in January, and was named player of the match after claiming 7-89 with the ball across both South Africa innings, including five-for in the first.

"It has been a really enjoyable comeback for myself and the team," the bowler said to Sky Sports. 

"The experience over the last few weeks has been really enjoyable and it has just been great to be with the lads again. 

"It is nice to get where I am at the moment but I don't think I am the finished article by any means."

England enjoyed a fantastic day at The Oval to close in on victory in the third and series-deciding Test against South Africa.

In the hunt for a fourth consecutive Test series win against the Proteas, England bowled and batted superbly on Sunday to leave them requiring just 33 runs on day five with all 10 wickets still in hand.

The hosts wanted to get the win wrapped up early when Alex Lees (32 not out) and Zak Crawley (57 no) powered them to within touching distance of victory, but bad light stopped play to the frustration of a full house and England captain Ben Stokes.

England had started the day at the crease but secured only a 40-run lead, requiring Stokes (3-38) to lead the England attack in their response, making the breakthrough when he drew an edge from Sarel Erwee (26).

Stuart Broad (3-45) also contributed handily, even if his first wicket – moving him past Glenn McGrath into fifth in the all-time list – came as Dean Elgar opted not to review an incorrect lbw decision.

James Anderson lured Keegan Petersen into an edge to Ollie Pope, then Broad exploited a weakness in Ryan Rickelton's defence.

Ollie Robinson's 50th and 51st Test wickets further diminished South Africa's hopes, before Stokes capped a draining spell with dismissals either side of tea, delivering a beauty to Marco Jansen (4) and finding an edge from Kagiso Rabada (0).

Broad and Anderson completed the job to leave South Africa 169 all out and set a target of 130, although England then survived a series of early scares.

Rash work from Lees saw him put down by Jansen, only narrowly escape when he appeared to be run out and loop a wild shot just beyond Keshav Maharaj.

Lees and Crawley soon settled, though, with the latter lashing his way to 50 in 36 balls before the umpires called time, much to England's chagrin.

Stoic Stokes leads by example

England's captain was clearly struggling with that troublesome, persistent left knee injury, but he kept himself in the attack late in the second session.

That paid dividends with the brilliant dismissal of Jansen that brought on tea, the swing on the delivery leaving the batsman with little chance as it knocked off leg stump, and Stokes carried on that form after the break when he sent Rabada packing. 

Those wickets came in the ninth over of a marathon 11-over spell, and Stokes was clearly in pain by the end of it, requiring treatment for the efforts that brought England to the brink of a sixth win in seven Tests under Brendon McCullum.

Broad joins Anderson at the top

Broad's first wicket of the innings might have come in bizarre fashion, but it saw him surpass Australia great McGrath as Test cricket's second-most successful seam bowler.

Partner in crime Anderson is the only paceman to have taken more wickets than Broad in the longest format, and Sunday bizarrely marked four years to the day since the 40-year-old had himself passed McGrath against India.

Ben Stokes has maintained that he and Alex Hales share the objective "to win the World Cup" after the Nottinghamshire batter was recalled to the England squad ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Hales has not played for England in three years since being taken out of the squad for the ODI World Cup in 2019 for failing a recreational drug test, and was not named in the initial squad for the upcoming T20 edition.

But a freak injury to Jonny Bairstow while playing golf last week has led to Hales being recalled for the tournament, as well as the squad for the T20 tour of Pakistan, which starts later this month.

Stokes' relationship with Hales is said to have declined after both were involved in a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub in 2017

But England Test captain Stokes acknowledged the quality Hales brings to the team.

"Alex is definitely one of the best T20 players in the world and unfortunately with what happened with Jonny we had to call another player up," Stokes told reporters.

"Alex is definitely one of the guys that bowlers don’t want to be bowling at in the T20 format."

However, Stokes was quiet when asked about their current relationship, adding: "My goal, Alex’s goal and everyone else’s goal who is part of that squad is to win the World Cup."