Harbhajan Singh not impressed after Cricket World Cup calls Ben Stokes ‘greatest cricketer of all time’

England became the first exclusive hosts in the history of the Cricket World Cup to win the title when they beat New Zealand in the Super Over in an absorbing final at Lord’s on Sunday. The match spilled on to the Super Over after both sides ended up scoring 241 runs in 50 overs. The Super Over scores too were tied and Eoin Morgan’s side was announced winners because it had hit more boundaries than the Kiwis in the match. The rule had come under intense criticism from the cricketing fraternity.

Meanwhile, there was more controversy after the match got over. Ben Stokes, the New Zealand-born England all-rounder who played a key role behind England’s win, was adjudged the man of the match and he took the award from former India batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who also gave out other big awards. The Cricket World Cup posted the picture of Stokes receiving the award from Tendulkar and it came up with the caption: “The greatest cricketer of all time – and Sachin Tendulkar” and it was followed by a cheeky emoji.

Bhajji happy for Stokes

Senior India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was not impressed and he replied to the tweet saying it should have been the other way round. However, the 38-year-old spinner didn’t forget to congratulate Stokes for his feat and said he was happy for him. Stokes, who played in his first World Cup this year, scripted a magnificent story of a comeback as he had found himself in legal trouble over a brawl at a pub a couple of years ago and the incident could have jeopardised his cricketing career. But Stokes proved in this World Cup that he can be an asset for any team on his day.

Stokes kept England in the hunt for a win by hammering 84 runs off 98 balls, his fourth 80-plus knock in this World Cup and a couple of which had gone in vain. But the left-arm batter ensured that he didn’t give it up till England won. He also scored eight vital runs when England came out to bat in the Super Over and made 15, a score that proved to be winning at the end.