The 2019 ICC World Cup final is memorable for more reasons than one but the way it ended left many fans less than happy.
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The 2019 ICC World Cup final is memorable for more reasons than one. For one, the tournament saw hosts England lift the trophy for the first time in history. It featured plenty of attacking cricket from teams. It also saw a return to a single group format comprising all 10 teams. However, the final itself is remembered largely due to the ending – which was, to put it mildly, a farce. In the end, the winner of cricket’s most prestigious tournament was decided on boundary count. To say the result left fans devastated is an understatement. But it takes little away from the winners on the day.
With two years having passed, let us look back at what was a controversial World Cup final.
Going into the tournament, hosts England were among the favourites along with India and Australia. New Zealand, who were the losing finalists in 2015, were seen as having an outside chance of making the semis.
The same could be said of the West Indies who, despite only qualifying for the tournament, possessed a number of hard-hitters who would flourish on the batter-friendly wickets in England.
In the end, the semi-final line-up came down to this: New Zealand vs India and England vs Australia. There was some intrigue around the second semi, since Australia beat England in the group stages. However, England made it to the final.
New Zealand, however, took the longer route to the final – literally. Due to heavy rain, the semi-final was completed only on the reserve day. However, the Kiwis were now back-to-back World Cup finalists.
Thus the stage was set – heavy favourites England took on plucky underdogs New Zealand.
Batting first, New Zealand could manage only 241-8 in their 50 overs. A maiden tournament half-ceentury from Henry Nicholls and a 47 from Tom Latham helped them post those runs.
Beyond that, it was a largely forgettable batting outing for the Kiwis. Star players Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor managed only 30 and 15, respectively. The lower order fared little better.
However, the English bowlers deserved plenty of credit too. They were economical and took wickets regularly. Liam Plunkett (4-36), Mark Wood (3-33) and Chris Woakes (3-37) were in fine form.
England got off to the worst start possible however, and were in trouble at 86-4 at the halfway mark. Cue a mega innings from Ben Stokes, the England all-rounder who doesn’t know when to quit.
Stokes’ unbeaten 84 anchored the innings and he was well supported by Jos Buttler, who made 59. However, Buttler’s departure saw the equation change.
Stokes now farmed the strike, something made even more necessary by Plunkett and Jofra Archer departing cheaply. The final over came, and England needed 15 runs to win with two wickets in hand.
Stokes faced two dot balls and then hammered one for six. The first real controversy came on the next ball. England ran two runs but a throw from the deep deflected off Stokes’ bat and went for four.
Umpire Kumar Dharmasena gave 6 runs for that but there was a twist; the batsmen had not crossed during the second run, meaning only 5 runs should have been awarded.
With 3 runs needed off 2 balls, Stokes look to run hard off both balls instead of get boundaries. Both times his partner was run out after the first run, meaning England ended the innings on – yes – 241. It was time for a Super Over.
England sent Stokes and Buttler back to the crease for the Super Over, with the Kiwis sending Trent Boult to bowl the over. Buttler and Stokes managed 15 runs without the loss of a wicket.
New Zealand sent Martin Guptill and James Neesham out to bat. A wide, six and some good running left them with two runs to win off the final ball. Guptill sent the ball to deep mid-wicket and ran hard to complete two runs.
However, the throw from Jason Roy was pinpoint and left Buttler with the simple job of whipping off the stumps. The Super Over was tied but England’s superior boundary count saw them crowned champions.
Yet while no one begrudged England their success, the manner of it was less than ideal. For one, New Zealand should have won the match without a Super Over given England were awarded 6 runs instead of 5.
For the other, deciding a match winner on boundary count was underwhelming. The ideal manner of deciding the winner would have been another Super Over.
Indeed, that rules changed to stipulate multiple Super Overs in such cases. And while the ending was controversial, the match will go down as one of the most memorable World Cup games ever.
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