England registered a dramatic victory over New Zealand in the final of the 2019 World Cup, as it entered the super over.
England won the Cricket World Cup for the first time in extraordinary circumstances, beating New Zealand by a tie-breaker of boundaries scored after the match was tied after regulation play and then the first Super Over in the tournament's history.
England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler ran out Martin Guptill off the last ball of the Super Over as the New Zealand opener scrambled back for a second run that would have earned the Black Caps also their first world title.
Both teams scored 241 after the regulation 50 overs per side, with England hitting 14 off the last over — including a six made up of two runs followed by an accidental four deflected off the bat of the diving Ben Stokes — to tie New Zealand's 241-8.
That meant the World Cup's first ever Super Over, which fans watched with hands around their heads and with a rule explainer required on the big screens inside the home of cricket.
Stokes and Jos Buttler were England's first designated batsmen and they struck 15 — including two fours — off six balls delivered by Trent Boult.
New Zealand pair Jimmy Neesham and Guptill also struck 15 off Jofra Archer but England won courtesy of a superior boundary count — 22 to 14 — in regulation play.
The feeling was yet to sink in for the English players, who found it hard to put it into words.
"Unbelievable. Thought you've seen everything in cricket. That was ridiculous. Hard to put into words, what an unbelievable game. Wanted to take it deep. Didn't feel the run rate would be an issue if we (Stokes and him) stayed till the end. Just wanted to get a partnership going. Don't know what happened. Unbelievable," said an overjoyed Jos Buttler.
While New Zealand has lost two straight finals, the country that invented cricket has finally become its world champion. England had previously lost three finals, including one at Lord's.
"I'll take that. What a day. Hasn't sunk in yet. What a finish that was. Hats off to the Kiwi boys. Wanted to get to the other end, get Stokesy in. Still had batters towards the end. As Root said, felt like it would happen for us," said Liam Plunkett.
Meanwhile, young fast bowler Jofra Archer - who bowled the much-important Super Over for England, said: "Pretty sure I was going to bowl it. Just had a double-check with Morgs. Still racing (heartbeat). Probably the biggest thing (in his life). The way the guys started in this tournament from the beginning, would've been disappointing not to win. They've been a family to me."
