Cricket World Rewind: #OnThisDay - Reliving heart-stopping final-over drama on 2019 World Cup final's 1st anniversary

July 14, 2019 - The final of the 2019 World Cup may be remembered for the wrong reasons, but the hard-fought match between England and New Zealand was surely worthy of a final.

Match Summary

New Zealand 241/8 (50 overs) - Henry Nicholls 55 (77), Tom Latham 47 (56); Chris Woakes 3/37(9), Liam Plunkett 3/42(10)

England 241 (50 overs) - Ben Stokes*84 (98), Jos Buttler 59 (60); Lockie Ferguson 3/50 (10), James Neesham3/43 (7)

Result - Match tied after super over (England won via boundary count)

Let's zoom in from the third ball of the 49th over onwards. Liam Plunkett on strike. Jimmy Neesham with the ball in hand. 22 required to win off 10 deliveries.

After keeping Ben Stokes at bay with a leg-stump yorker, Neesham decides to trust his slower one against the tail-ender. A leg-cutter at 114 kph. Plunkett tries to muscle it over long-off but the lack of timing, due to the lack of pace on the ball, drops it safely in the bread basket of Trent Boult at the boundary.

The players cross and Stokes is on strike for the next delivery. He takes full toll and smacks a full ball on the stumps to mid-wicket where Boult catches it but cannot stay inside the ropes. It's a six.

Neesham goes back to his trusted ally in the slog overs. A leg cutter on middle stump which Archer tries to hit out of the galaxy. The slower one deflects off the pads on to the stumps. Neesham has done his job. 9 runs and 2 wickets off the penultimate over. He will take it every day of the week.

So it has come down to this: 15 required off the last over. Arguably New Zealand's best bowler Trent Boult with the ball in hand. Ben Stokes, arguably England's best batsman, at least in this situation, ready to face.

On the first two deliveries, Boult nails his yorkers outside the off stump. This not only doesn't allow Stokes to get the required elevation as the batsman denies the singles to remain on strike, it also takes the leg side out of the equation.

Anticipating the line, Stokes gets down on one knee and swats the slow and full delivery outside the off stump over mid-wicket for a massive six. Slog sweeping a pacer down on one knee in the final of the World Cup! You need guts for that.

The pressure is back on the bowler. Boult falters with the execution and bowls a full toss on middle stump, which is tonked to deep mid-wicket by Stokes.

As he puts in the dive to reach the safety of the crease for the second run, Martin Guptill throws it to the striker's end. Stokes neither changed his direction nor looked at the ball. Inadvertently, the ball ricochets off Stokes' bat and goes past the boundary. Another six runs.

It later came to light that actually 5 runs should have been awarded as the run on which the ball was deflected shouldn't have been counted. But who had the wisdom in the heat of the moment!

England now need just three off two balls. The penultimate ball is a yorker on middle stump. Stokes pushes it to long-off as he tries to steal a double. Adil Rashid is run-out at the non-striker's end but just as Boult breaks the stumps, he regrets it immediately. Had the throw gone to the striker's end or had Boult thrown it to the wicket-keeper after collecting the ball, Stokes whould have been a goner.

Last ball. 2 runs needed for England to win. A dot ball or a wicket for New Zealand to win. A single for a tie. Full toss on middle stump. Stokes could have tried to hit it out of the ground but it also meant taking the risk of losing his wicket, and the match in turn. Rather, he tapped it to long-on in an attempt to sneak a quick two. Mark wood isn't quick enough and gets run-out. We are going to the super over!

With 16 to get to win the World Cup final, New Zealand managed 15 (a tie again) with Martin Guptill run-out on the final ball. As per the existing rule, the team hitting the more boundaries was to be declared winners. With England having hit 26 boundaries as opposed to New Zealand's 17, the hosts were crowned the champions.

New Zealand v England - Cricket World Cup 2019 Final