On This Day — Ben Stokes’ Unbeaten 84 Guides England to Historic 2019 World Cup Triumph Over New Zealand

England won the title based on the boundary count rule, claiming their first-ever ODI World Cup. While it was a historic and emotional win for England, it ended in heartbreak for New Zealand. Fans around the world were left amazed by this once-in-a-lifetime cricket match.

England vs New Zealand: ODI World Cup 2019 Finals

The big day at the Lord’s Cricket Ground started with New Zealand winning the toss and looking to bat first on the tricky pitch. New Zealand’s innings in the 2019 World Cup final set a competitive 241 for 8 in 50 overs, challenging England on a pitch with some life. Martin Guptill kicked things off with an aggressive 19 off 18 balls, hitting two fours and a six, but Chris Woakes struck in the 7th over, trapping him lbw after a failed review, leaving the score at 29 for 1.

Henry Nicholls and captain Kane Williamson then steadied the innings with a crucial 74-run partnership. Nicholls played with composure, scoring 55 off 77 balls with four fours, finding gaps and rotating the strike. Williamson, more cautious, made 30 off 53 balls with two fours, anchoring the innings before Liam Plunkett dismissed him, caught by Jos Buttler, in the 23rd over. Plunkett struck again in the 27th over, bowling Nicholls, leaving New Zealand at 118 for 3. Ross Taylor struggled for rhythm, scoring 15 off 31 balls before Mark Wood trapped him lbw in the 34th over, making it 141 for 4.

Tom Latham, the wicketkeeper, took charge in the middle order, crafting a vital 47 off 56 balls, including two fours and a six. He found support from James Neesham, who blasted 19 off 25 balls with three fours, and Colin de Grandhomme, who contributed 16 off 28. Their partnerships pushed New Zealand past 200, with Latham’s ability to work the ball around and Neesham’s aggressive shots keeping the scoreboard ticking.

However, Woakes struck twice late, removing de Grandhomme and Latham in the 47th and 49th overs, both caught by substitute James Vince. Matt Henry’s quick 4 off 2 balls, including a four, ended with Jofra Archer bowling him in the 50th over. Mitchell Santner, unbeaten on 5, and Trent Boult, 1 not out, saw out the innings. Extras were significant, with 17 wides, 12 leg-byes, and 1 no-ball adding 30 runs to the total.

England’s bowling was disciplined and relentless. Woakes led the attack with 3 for 37, his early breakthrough setting the tone. Plunkett was equally effective, taking 3 for 42, breaking key partnerships with his dismissals of Williamson and Nicholls. Archer’s 1 for 42 and Wood’s 1 for 49 kept New Zealand in check, while Adil Rashid’s 0 for 39 and Ben Stokes’ 0 for 20 ensured the Kiwis couldn’t cut loose.

The powerplay yielded just 33 for 1, with England’s fielders, including Joe Root and Vince, making sharp stops to restrict boundaries. New Zealand’s strategy was to build steadily and accelerate late, but England’s bowlers kept the run rate at 4.82, preventing a bigger total. Nicholls’ 50 was the highest score, but no batter could dominate. The pitch offered some seam movement, making 241 a defendable target, and New Zealand’s bowlers were primed to make England work hard for every run in the chase.

Final Five Overs of England’s Chase

The final five overs of England’s chase in the 2019 World Cup final turned Lord’s into a cauldron of tension and drama. Starting the 46th over at 196 for 4, England needed 46 runs to reach New Zealand’s 242. Lockie Ferguson delivered a massive blow in the 45th over, dismissing Jos Buttler for 59, caught by substitute Tim Southee at deep midwicket after a well-timed lofted cover drive went straight to the fielder.

The crowd’s roar faded as Chris Woakes joined Ben Stokes, but Ferguson struck again in the 47th over, getting Woakes caught behind by Tom Latham for just 2 off 4 balls, leaving England at 203 for 6. The required run rate was climbing, and Stokes, now on 56, was under immense pressure to keep the chase alive.

James Neesham’s 48th over was pivotal. Liam Plunkett, trying to up the scoring rate, smashed a boundary over midwicket but fell for 10, caught by Trent Boult at long-off after failing to clear the boundary on a slower legcutter. Jofra Archer came in but was bowled for a duck off his first ball by Neesham’s clever legcutter, which gripped and hit the stumps, leaving England reeling at 227 for 8. With 24 runs needed off the last two overs, Boult’s 49th over saw Stokes muscle a crucial four between deep midwicket and square leg. But two dot balls, a near-yorker jabbed to cover, and another driven to Williamson kept the tension sky-high.

But the moment that came as a magic for the England team was on the 49.4th ball as Trent Boult bowled a full-toss on middle to Ben Stokes. Stokes smashed it to deep midwicket, where Martin Guptill fielded and threw flat, aiming for a direct hit. As Stokes dived for the second run to keep strike, the ball struck his outstretched bat and deflected to the boundary. This freak moment gave England six runs.

England needed 15 runs off the final over. Boult took the ball for the 50th over, and the drama peaked. Stokes clipped a single to long-on, but Adil Rashid was run out for 0, caught short by Mitchell Santner’s throw to Boult. Mark Wood, also 0, was run out next, with Neesham’s throw to Boult leaving him meters short as Stokes scrambled back for a second.

On the final ball, Stokes hacked a full-toss to long-on, and a throw from Guptill deflected off his bat as he dived, racing for an astonishing six runs. This freak moment tied the scores at 241, sending the match to a Super Over. Stokes’ unbeaten 84 off 98 balls, with five fours and two sixes, kept England alive, but the loss of wickets and mounting pressure made the finish unforgettable, with the crowd on edge as cricket’s unpredictability took centre stage.

Super Over Drama!

The Super Over in the 2019 World Cup final was a heart-stopping climax that decided the champion. England batted first, with Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler facing Trent Boult. Stokes, still carrying the fight, started with a three, lofting a slower ball between short third man and backwards point, landing just out of reach. He followed with a four, rolling his wrists on a low full-toss to sweep it past deep midwicket. Buttler, calm under pressure, clipped a single off a full-toss to deep square leg.

Stokes then sliced a single to backward point off another full-toss, as Boult struggled for accuracy. Buttler sealed England’s Super Over with a firm four, whipping a low full-toss to deep square leg, ending at 15 for 0. The crowd roared, but New Zealand needed 16 to win, with Martin Guptill and James Neesham facing Jofra Archer. Archer’s first ball was a wide one, slipping beyond the tramline, ramping up the tension. Neesham responded with a two, stabbing a blockhole delivery to long-off for a well-run double. Then came a massive six, as Neesham cleared his front leg and whipped a full ball over deep midwicket, bringing the target to 7 off 3 balls.

Two more twos followed, one to the right of deep midwicket, where Jason Roy’s fumble allowed a second run, and another clipped to long-off. With 3 needed off the final ball, Guptill clipped a full ball to deep midwicket and sprinted for two, but Roy’s throw was perfect, reaching Buttler in front of the stumps. Buttler dived to break the wicket, catching Guptill well short. The Super Over tied at 15, but England won on boundary count, 26 to 17. Stokes’ tears and Archer’s smile marked England’s historic triumph in a finish that captured cricket’s wild, unpredictable magic.