The most extraordinary finish in World Cup history — the final tied, the Super Over tied, and England were declared World Champions on boundary count. New Zealand were devastated. The boundary countback rule was subsequently abolished.
England had not won a World Cup since 1992 (and had never won an ODI World Cup). New Zealand, the underdogs, had been outstanding throughout the 2019 tournament. Their captain Kane Williamson had embodied composure and class. The final at Lord's was expected to be competitive — nobody predicted what it would become.
New Zealand made 241/8 off 50 overs — a fighting total on a slow Lord's pitch. England's chase went smoothly until a middle-order collapse. With 9 needed off 3 balls, Ben Stokes hit a pull shot — the ball deflected off his bat onto the boundary rope off Martin Guptill's throw, giving an accidental boundary of 6 instead of the deflection off his bat giving 4. England needed 2 off 1. Stokes dived and was run out for 84. Adil Rashid scrambled a leg bye. England finished on 241 — tied.
Super Over. England sent Stokes and Jos Buttler. Trent Boult bowled. England made 15 off the over, including a trademark Stokes six over midwicket. New Zealand needed 16 to win the World Cup.
Jofra Archer bowled. Neesham hit a six — 9 off 3. Neesham hit a four — 5 off 2. Martin Guptill hit a two — 3 off 1. Final ball: Guptill drove hard and ran — Buttler took the throw and broke the stumps — Guptill short. New Zealand needed 3, scored 15. The Super Over too was tied: 15-15.
The ICC rules stated that in the event of a Super Over tie in a World Cup knockout match, the team with more boundaries across the match AND the Super Over would win. England had hit 26 boundaries (24 + 2 in Super Over). New Zealand had hit 17 (16 + 1). England were World Champions.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson stood on the outfield, applauding England, his eyes wet. His team had done everything asked of them. The boundary countback rule — never before used in a World Cup — decided the sport's biggest prize.
The deflection six — Ben Stokes's accidental overthrow six that levelled the match
The Super Over tie — Guptill run out on the last ball, scores 15-15
Boundary countback announced — England win by having hit more fours and sixes
July 14, 2019
New Zealand bat first — 241/8 off 50 overs
England's innings, over 49
Deflection six off Stokes bat — 6 runs awarded instead of run-out
Over 50, last ball
Stokes run out for 84 — scores tied 241-241
Super Over
England make 15, New Zealand make 15 — Super Over tied
Decision
England declared World Champions on boundary countback 26-17
The ICC abolished the boundary countback rule shortly after the tournament. Any future tied Super Over in a knockout match would instead be decided by a second Super Over, or further Super Overs. New Zealand returned home to a hero's welcome despite not winning — Williamson was widely seen as the moral champion of the tournament.
The greatest one-day match ever played, decided by a rule so arcane that most fans had never heard of it. England deserved to win — they had hit more boundaries throughout — but the manner of victory, and the cruelty toward New Zealand, made it bittersweet for neutral observers.
The 2019 World Cup Final is the defining ODI cricket match of the modern era — a game so extraordinary it permanently changed the rules. The deflection six remains the most debated moment in recent cricket history, and New Zealand's dignity in defeat became as iconic as the result itself.
Australia vs West Indies
1960-12-14
The first tied Test in 86 years of cricket history — Australia and West Indies finished level on 737 runs each after five days of breathless cricket in Brisbane, producing one of the most dramatic finishes the game has ever seen.
India vs Australia
1986-09-22
Twenty-six years after Brisbane, cricket produced only its second tied Test — Dean Jones's heroic 210 through crippling heat and Dean Jones's fever, Ravi Shastri's unbeaten 48 and India needing 2 off the last over, only for Maninder Singh to be out lbw off the final ball.
Australia vs South Africa
1999-06-17
Lance Klusener smashed Australia to the brink of elimination, then ran out Allan Donald off the penultimate ball to tie the match — but Australia advanced to the final on superior run rate, ending South Africa's greatest World Cup campaign in devastating fashion.