England won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time as they beat New Zealand in a dramatic Super Over after a nerve-shredding final ended in a tie at Lord’s on Sunday.
After Eoin Morgan’s side finished on 241 all out in pursuit of New Zealand’s 241/8, the final came down to a six-ball shootout for each team. England’s Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler took 15 off Trent Boult’s over.
Jofra Archer bowled England’s over against Martin Guptill and Jimmy Neesham, who smashed a six off the second ball.
With two runs required off the final ball, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler and Jason Roy combined to run out Guptill as he came back for the second.
Both sides finished on 15 so England won due to a tie-break rule because they hit more boundaries. After defeats in previous finals against Pakistan in 1992, Australia in 1987 and the West Indies in 1979, it was a cathartic moment for English cricket.
“My heart is still racing. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever won, a great bunch of fellas, a really good family to me,” Archer said.
Stokes was in tears as England’s players danced joyously around the pitch.
“I’m pretty lost for words. All the hard work over four years, to get here and be champions of the world. It’s an amazing feeling. I’m pretty done,” Stokes said with an expression that mixed elation with bewilderment.
“Playing against New Zealand is always a great event. They are a seriously good team and really good lads. I said to Kane Williamson I’ll be apologising for that for the rest of my life.”
Morgan and his teammates were cheered to the rafters by the ecstatic capacity crowd at Lord’s as they joined Bobby Moore’s 1966 footballers and Martin Johnson’s rugby union team of 2003 as England’s World Cup winners.
“Wow! It’s hard to sum it up, what a day, what a tournament,” England batsman Joe Root said.
“Everyone has done everything asked of them. We have performed under pressure, it was almost written in the stars for Ben Stokes.”
Read the match report here.
Here are some reactions to what was, arguably, the greatest World Cup match of all time:
A game that ebbed and flowed from the 1st ball to the 612th!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 14, 2019
Feel for New Zealand 🇳🇿 who did everything that England 🏴 did and still fell short.
Congratulations to England.#CWC19 #NZvENG @ECB_cricket @BLACKCAPS pic.twitter.com/FlEJb0NfId
THE BEST ODI I’ve witnessed....The best World Cup Final Ever. Nothing comes close. #CWC19 #EngvNZ
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 14, 2019
Run-out off the last ball! There will never be another World Cup final like this.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 14, 2019
Amazing day of sport, have to say both teams were a credit to our game! What a final, congrats to #England #englandcricket #CWC19
— Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) July 14, 2019
The World Cup title should have been shared. Fairest result, in my opinion
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) July 14, 2019
Congratulations to England on winning the Cricket World Cup. New Zealand were outstanding and never gave up, that deflection over-throw of Stokes being a huge turning point, tragic for @BLACKCAPS , so near yet so far but they must be very proud. #CWCFinal19
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 14, 2019
Cruel!
— Stephen Fleming (@SPFleming7) July 14, 2019
A World Cup title decided by the finest of margins.#CWC19Final pic.twitter.com/iJUO7ElW8L
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 14, 2019
You want to know how bizarre this finish was: I can't find a Jofra Archer tweet to describe it. #CWC19
— cricBC (@cricBC) July 14, 2019
Congratulations to @englandcricket on winning the World Cup. What a final. Brilliant lads 🏴👏🏏 #WeAreEngland #CWC19
— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) July 14, 2019
OH MY GOD!
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) July 14, 2019
What a match for a World Cup Final.
This is as good as a trophy shared.
Match tied, super over tied, England wins on more boundaries hit. Wow. Great scenes at Lords. #ENGvNZ #CWC19
Because the ball hit Stokes bat, the match went on to the super over, else NZ had the match then and there itself.
— Srini Mama (@SriniMaama16) July 14, 2019
Even in the super over, both teams scored 15 each.
Because England hit more boundaries, NZ lost.
Have you known of anything more cruel in sport?
Don't understand how the game of such proportions, the #CWC19Final, is finally decided on who scored the most boundaries. A ridiculous rule @ICC. Should have been a tie. I want to congratulate both @BLACKCAPS & @englandcricket on playing out a nail biting Final. Both winners imo.
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 14, 2019
This is why we go on about this sport. I know it's annoying. And I know we can't justify some of our reasons why you should watch it.
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) July 14, 2019
But this is why. This is what it does to people. What it does to us. It could do this for you, too.
Cricket. Fucking cricket!
New Zealand: 241/8
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 14, 2019
England: 241
England Super Over: 15/0
New Zealand Super Over: 15/1
England boundaries: 24
New Zealand boundaries: 16
Can you believe it came down to boundaries scored to separate these two sides?!#NZvENG | #CWC19Final | #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/qW8bBZaw1l
No words can do that game justice! What a game of cricket! Congratulations @englandcricket .. you deserve it! 🏆 #CWC19
— Anya Shrubsole (@Anya_shrubsole) July 14, 2019
I have no words. Absolutely no words.
— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) July 14, 2019
England 👏🏻
New Zealand ❤️ #CWC19 #ENGvNZ