Almost a week after the epic 2019 World Cup final between England and New Zealand at Lord’s, the winning captain Eoin Morgan still cannot pinpoint where the game was won and lost.
With both the match and Super Over ending in ties, England were declared winners on the basis of the boundary count, but like many others, Morgan too felt it was perhaps not a fair result.
“I don’t think it’s fair to have a result like that when there’s very little between the sides,” Morgan told The Times. “I don’t think there was one moment that you could say: ‘That actually cost the game there.’ It was quite balanced.
“I’m black and white. I’m normally going: ‘I know. I was there, that happened.’ [But] I can’t stick my finger on where the game was won and lost.”
One big turning point, however, came in the final over of England’s chase. When it was looking like New Zealand were the favourites, Martin Guptill’s throw from the deep deflected off Ben Stokes’ bat to give England four extra runs in overthrows, dragging the hosts ahead in the contest.
One would assume that finishing on the right side of the result after such a cliffhanger would have made it easier for Morgan to make sense of all the drama. But the man himself doesn’t agree.
“I’m not sure winning it makes it any easier,” he said. “A little bit [troubled], because there’s no defining moment that you’d say: ‘Yes, we thoroughly deserved it.’ It’s just been crazy.”
“I spoke to Kane [Williamson] over the last couple of days on numerous occasions and none of us has come up with a rational explanation as to the various times we gave them the game and they gave it back to us. Like me, he can’t get his head around everything.”
At the end of the conversation, though, Morgan conceded: “It would be more difficult to lose, of course.”
Morgan, who will be representing Dublin Chiefs in the inaugural Euro T20 Slam, didn’t give a definitive answer on his future as England captain, stating the back injury he suffered during the game against West Indies in the World Cup as one of the reasons behind the uncertainty.
“It’s a huge commitment to go for another four years or even next year, particularly with the injury I had coming through this tournament, he said. “You can’t lead a team and commit to something if you’re constantly worried about your back falling out. It will be a difficult decision.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo