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A fair way to end the world cup?
Jofra Archer has credited the support of team-mates after holding his nerve to seal England’s first World Cup victory.
Despite being the youngest in the side and having played only 13 ODIs before the World Cup final, Archer was the natural choice to bowl the Super Over that decided the game. And, while he started that over with a wide and conceded a six from the second legitimate delivery, he came back strongly to restrict New Zealand to 15 in total – the same number of runs that England scored in their Super Over – to secure victory for his side on the basis that they hit more boundaries in the game. It meant that, barely two months after making his international debut, Archer was a World Cup winner.
Afterwards, he said the last two months were “the best of his life” and thanked his team-mates for their “trust” and “respect.” In particular, he was grateful for the calming words he was offered by England’s senior players before and during that key over. One of them, Ben Stokes, knew exactly what he was going through: Stokes was charged with bowling the final over in 2016’s World T20 final in Kolkata only to concede four successive sixes to an inspired Carols Brathwaite.
WATCH on Hotstar – The Super Over (India only)
“If we had lost today, I don’t know what I would have done tomorrow,” Archer said. “But Ben Stokes told me even before the over: ‘Win or lose, today does not define you. Everyone believes in you.’ He came to talk to me because of Kolkata. He probably went through the same emotions but was on the losing side.
“The skipper, Eoin Morgan really believed in me, even after the six. A lot of captains could have had their head in their hands, but he was really calm and really understanding.
Jofra Archer appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of Martin Guptill © Getty Images
“And Joe Root came up to me and said some inspirational words as well. So I knew that, if we did lose, it wasn’t the end of the world.
“I am glad that the guys look up to me and they trust me to do it. This is a great team. I cannot imagine a better bunch of guys to share it with. I can’t put it into words.
“I have had the best two months of my life. Making my debut, making my World Cup debut and playing in the final in the space of two months. It is really special to me and hopefully I can look back 15 years down the line and say I was a part of that.”
As Archer looked back on “the best two months” of his life, he expressed the hope that England’s success could “inspire the next generation” to watch and play the game.
“I have had the best two months of my life,” he said. “Making my debut, making my World Cup debut and playing in the final in the space of two months. It is really special to me and hopefully I can look back 15 years down the line and say I was a part of that.
“I hope that any kids watching that want to play cricket now for the whole week, for the whole year and try to pursue it to be professional. We want to inspire the next generation because someone will have to take over from us.”
And, asked if he hoped this success could help “change cricket’s elitist profile” in the UK, he replied “I hope so. Because of everyone’s background they have a special role in the team.”
George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo