Finally, and yeah, read it again, finally, the England cricket team, who were the inventors of the game has got the world cup in their kitty. The Eoin Morgan-led side, who lost it in the group stage in 2015 World Cup has done it in the 2019 and lifted their first-ever World Cup trophy.
In the end, it was only the number of boundaries that England scored in the Super Over that saw them emerge victorious in the ICC World Cup 2019 final at Lord’s on Sunday.
The final over of the second innings was going New Zealand’s way until a lucky deflection off Ben Stokes’ bat after he had completed two runs saw the ball run away to the boundary and give them six runs.
However, with 3 needed off 2 balls, New Zealand effected consecutive run-outs to ensure the game ended in a tie and for the first time in history, a Super Over was needed to determine the world champions.
England scored 15 runs in batting first thanks to a couple of boundaries from Stokes. In reply, Jimmy Neesham and Martin Guptill put together exactly the same number of runs in their six balls.
Really incredible – Eoin Morgan
Yet the fact that the hosts scored more boundaries – Neesham managed to get only one six off Jofra Archer – helped them get over the line. It was a fitting end to a finale that threatened to go either way throughout the course of the second innings.
”I’d like to commiserate Kane and his team. The example that they lead is hugely commendable to him and his team. It was a tough wicket where everyone found it tough to score. Buttler and Stokes put together a partnership. I thought that would take us deep, and it did. This has been a four-year- journey. We find it hard to play on wickets like that.”
”To get over the line today means the world to us. I was being cooled down by Plunkett. It isn’t a good sign. Some of the support staff. Not only the best in our team, but in the world, they really helped. Full credit to the two boys who went out for the super over. Given that they were there most recently. Archer just improves every time he goes out there. Really incredible. Everyone in the change room today, Willey, Billings, whoever missed out on the squad – I’d like to mention them too.” Eoin Morgan said.
All in all, it was an incredible final. The story of England team from the 2015 World Cup to 2019 World Cup is quite a story, which really deserves a standing ovation.