'Never thought I'd have to answer that question': Williamson on if boundaries were a fair way to decide a World Cup winner
Kane Williamson did everything he could have, New Zealand did everything they could have and yet they ended up on the losing side as far as winning the World Cup was concerned as England edged them to it.
It was a game of epic magnitude and loads of drama and after 102 overs of play, there was no separating the two teams still as long as the minor umpiring glitch according to the ICC laws are taken into consideration.
In the end, England won the World Cup thanks to hitting more boundaries throughout the course of the 51 overs in their innings and it was hard luck on Williamson and the Kiwis.
"I suppose you would have never thought that you would have to ask that question and I never thought I'd have to answer it. You can't sort of look at that and think that perhaps that decided the match," Williamson replied to a journalist at the post-match press conference.
"There were so many other bits and pieces to that game that were so important. When it comes down to a tie, you start looking at every single delivery, don't you? It was a pretty tough pill to swallow that when, yeah, when we were looking pretty likely with Trent bowling really, really well, so one of those things," he added.
"The guys are shattered at the moment - it is devastating. It's pretty tough to swallow at this stage. But a fantastic effort from our guys," he had earlier said during the post-match interview.
Electing to bat first New Zealand put up 241/8 in 50 overs. Chasing the target, England rode Stokes' unbeaten 84 off 98 balls with Jos Buttler also scoring 59. The pair added 110 runs for the fifth wicket to tie the game at 241 all out and take it to an Eliminator.
In the Eliminator, Stokes and Buttler helped England post 15 which New Zealand matched but in gut-wrenching fashion fell short of the tally of boundaries England hit throughout the course of the game.
In the Super Over, chasing 16 for victory, Kiwis sent left-hander Jimmy Neesham and right-handed opener Martin Guptill who matched the score but fell one step short in the end in gut-wrenching fashion.
"The left-hand right-hand combination was useful in the super over, looking at the short boundary, but it's unfair to critique a match fought with such small margins," Williamson said.
