World Cup 2019: Ben Stokes reveals his pick for batsman in the Super Over in nail-biting finale

On July 14, Sunday, the world saw probably the best ODI of all time between England and New Zealand, which was also the final of the ICC World Cup 2019. The hosts were chasing a meagre total of 242 runs set by the Kiwi team and the initial match ended up in a tie, the first for any final in tournament history and in another first in ODI history, Super Over was employed to find the champions.

Henry Nicholls made a valiant fifty in the finals as England bowlers kept the pressure on the hosts, who were looking for their first-ever world title. Somehow, they posted 241/8 in 50 overs. Their bowlers reduced England to 89/4 and then in pressure, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler added over 100 runs to bring the team back in the final. However, Kiwis pegged the batsmen back and Stokes managed to make the 15 runs required in the last over, when 16 were needed and the match was tied, with everything coming down to the super over.

Stokes suggests that he didn’t want to come out in the Super Over

When the super over was employed for the very first time in the ODI cricket history, England batted first and needed to send two batsmen to take advantage of the six balls. However, the England all-rounder Ben Stokes revealed that he wasn’t ready to go out there and bat again with Jos Buttler, as he was angry at not finishing the game.

“I was annoyed at myself, I was angry, I thought I’d thrown it away but when I went upstairs I had to give myself five minutes because Morgs (Morgan) wanted me to go back out and do the super over. I said that we should send Jos [Buttler] and Jason [Roy] out but Morgs said we need a left and right because it’s a small boundary. I had to go out the back into the shower room and give myself five minutes. ‘I never want to be involved in one [super over] ever again,” the 28-year-old all-rounder was quoted as saying by timesnownews.

England managed 15 runs in 6 balls with Stokes hitting a six off Boult. In return, New Zealand tried their best with Neesham making 13 runs and hitting Archer for a six. However, Martin Guptill was run out coming for the second run which would have made New Zealand champions and the super over was tied. England won the contest on the basis of hitting more boundaries in the match than the Kiwis, which was seen as a controversial ruling by many.