#OTD in 2019 - When England won the Cricket World Cup on boundary count

England claimed their first 50-over World Cup win four years ago on this day in 2019 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, beating New Zealand in the super over. It, however, wasn’t the talking point on that day and even to date; instead, it was the ‘boundary count’ rule that kept making headlines ever since.

Ben Stokes, perhaps England’s greatest modern-day cricketer, was the protagonist of the story that day.

4 years ago today...

(via @ICC) pic.twitter.com/5gdqe3EmWm — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 14, 2023

A game well-poised until the fag end of England’s chase took an unlikely and rather shocking turn, when first the ball that touched Ben Stokes’ bat went for four; secondly, the result of the match, which went into the super over, was decided on the boundary count since both teams ended up scoring the same amount of runs in it.

While all this proved lucky for England as they made most of the situation, a larger section of cricket fans and experts shared a different opinion.

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Whilesome felt what all unfolded comes under the rule book and is fine, others questioned England’s spirit of the game and urged why instead of allowing that boundary off Stokes’ bat to stand, the umpires didn’t call it a dead ball.

Four years apart, several questions are still left unanswered.

However, with all said and done then, England won the match and ended their wait of lifting the 50-over World Cup in their fourth attempt.

England’s World Cup to win

Following the 2015 World Cup debacle, when England crashed out after a loss to Bangladesh, the Eoin Morgan-led side revamped their cricket and emerged as a great white-ball team. In the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup, England appeared the favourite, and they didn’t disappoint.

After going down on two occasions in the group stages, once against Pakistan and then against Australia, England managed to stay alive and came good inthe end. Upon reaching the semis, they beat Australia, and then against New Zealand in the finale, they looked in supreme touch.

England first restrictedthe Kiwis to 241 for eight, and the lost four wickets inside 100 runs tillthe star pair of Ben Stokes and keeper-batter Jos Buttler bailed them out of trouble. Following three wickets, England looked like falling shy of their target, but it was Ben Stokes, who held his nerves and kept them alive, with luck playing a huge role too.

After two ties – a first-of-its-kind incident in World Cup, England emerged as winners on the boundary count.

Four years apart, both these teams will open the account in the 2023 World Cup in India.

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