'We Had No Right To Win It': Joe Root on 2019 World Cup Final

image-ln8t9v9sEngland won the World Cup with the boundary count rule [Twitter]

Joe Root recalled the drama that unravelled during the epic 2019 World Cup final at Lord's and admitted England were fortunate to come out triumphant against New Zealand with the rub of the green going their way in critical moments. 

In a thriller for the ages, both teams tied on 241 and it required the controversial boundary count law to separate them even during the successive Super Over tie. 

What transpired in the final?

The final stages of the game are etched in the fans' memories forever as England's match-winner Ben Stokes got a boundary on overthrows after the ball ricocheted off his bat towards the deep fine-leg region in the final over and helped three lions level up. 

The BlackCaps couldn't believe their luck with the stakes so high after standing umpire Kumar Dharamsena misinterpreted the law governing the overthrow incident where the run in progress would've counted only if the two batters had crossed at the instant of the throw. When England should've gotten five runs, Dharamsena gave them six with 9 runs required off three balls. 

The dramatic incident as well as the much-criticised and eventually abolished boundary count law created much of the noise back then, making it a week to remember for players from either side. While the Kiwis were heartbroken, players in the England camp still count their fortune and remember it as a case of luck smiling on them when it mattered. 

Here's what Root said on the controversial final

"It is a pinch-yourself thing when you sit down and think about it. We had no right to win it but that makes it a bit sweeter. I just had a shocker of a day with the bat," Root said in an interaction with The Telegraph while also recalling a stinker of a knock he played in the marquee final. Perhaps his worst under pressure: a painstaking 7 off 30 balls. 

Root recounted the fact that England players hardly had any time to properly soak in the World Cup glory and the frenzy amidst the English fans due to a super quick turnaround for the Ashes against Australia. 

"We never got a chance to celebrate and enjoy [the World Cup] and then move on. It [The Ashes] came so quickly after it, there wasn’t the ability to put that to one side. It would have been nice to have a moment as a team," the former England skipper said. 

"In 2005 they had a bus parade. Not saying we needed that, but if we’d had a day to say 'Congrats,' and pat ourselves on the back and reminisce and then move on to that Ashes, it would have helped."

The defending champions, England, will kick-start their World Cup 2023 campaign against rivals New Zealand, which will be a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final.