2019 Cricket World Cup Final — The Most Dramatic Finish in Cricket History
The 2019 World Cup final between England and New Zealand ended in a tie — and then a Super Over tie. Learn exactly what happened and the rules involved.
The Setup
The 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final was played at Lord's Cricket Ground on July 14, 2019, between England and New Zealand. Both teams had reached the final for the first time — England since 1992, New Zealand since 2015. England were favourites but the match became the most dramatic final in cricket history.
New Zealand's Innings
New Zealand batted first and scored 241/8 — a competitive but not dominant total. Kane Williamson top-scored with 30; Jofra Archer and Liam Plunkett were England's best bowlers. England needed 242 off 50 overs.
England's Innings — A Rollercoaster
England collapsed, recovered, collapsed again, and then needed 15 off the last over. Ben Stokes remained. Martin Guptill's throw ricocheted off Stokes' bat as he dived for a second run — the ball ran to the boundary for 4 overthrows. England needed 3 off 2, 2 off 1 — Stokes scrambled 2, ran 1, the last ball saw a run-out attempt with the throw going wide. The match was TIED at 241. It went to a Super Over.
The Super Over
England scored 15 off their Super Over (Stokes 8, Jos Buttler 7, off Trent Boult). New Zealand needed 16 to win. Jofra Archer bowled — Martin Guptill needing 2 off the last ball to tie, 3 to win. He scrambled 1 run, then attempted a second but Buttler's throw hit the stumps. OUT — New Zealand ran just 15. The Super Over was also TIED.
The Boundary Count Rule
With both match and Super Over tied, the ICC's pre-agreed tiebreaker gave the trophy to the team that hit more boundaries across the entire match. England had hit 26 boundaries; New Zealand had 17. England were declared World Cup champions — without playing another ball. The rule was heavily criticised and was subsequently changed by the ICC.
Frequently asked questions
Was the boundary count rule fair?
Widely debated. New Zealand and many cricket fans felt a 50-over match's result should not depend on a statistical tiebreaker untested in any other final situation. The ICC subsequently changed the rule — any future Super Over tie would lead to another Super Over rather than a boundary count.
Did the 6 overthrows in the final controversy matter?
The 6 overthrows (from the throw that ricocheted off Stokes' bat) were crucial — they reduced England's needed total from 9 to 3 off the last 3 balls. Had they not occurred, New Zealand would likely have won. The decision to award them as overthrow runs was legally correct under Law 19 of cricket, but the manner was widely considered unfortunate.