CWC 2019: 5 best moments of ICC World Cup 2019

Here are the five most unforgettable moments in World Cup 2019.

The ICC World cup 2019 ended up creating history, as we got a fresh champion since 1996, with England realizing their dream of lifting the trophy in the game they invented. New Zealand can curse their luck as there were moments, which if they had grasped, would have made them World Champions.

Trent Boult caught Ben Stokes in the penultimate over but trotted onto the boundary ropes and Stokes proved to be their nemesis in the final. There were many such moments throughout the tournament which will be etched in the memories of the fans, like Indian team’s sorrow after losing in semi-finals, while that over bowled by Afghanistan Captain Gulbadin Naib, which handed the match to Pakistan in a close chase.

Today, Team COC takes a look at five such instances that everyone will remember for time to come.

Here are the 5 best moments of ICC World Cup 2019

Carlos Brathwaite almost performs a miracle for West Indies

West Indies started off their World Cup campaign with a bang, routing Pakistan for 105 and winning the match easily. They also had Australia in their clutches before losing the game due to their own mistakes. However, the most soul-crushing defeat for the Caribbean came against New Zealand.  The eventual runners-up of the tournament had posted 291/8 thanks to a career-best 148 by Kane Williamson.

West Indies in their chase looked down and out at 152/5 when Gayle got out for 87, but then Carlos Brathwaite played probably the best innings in a defeat in the World Cup 2019, as he smashed his first century in ODIs. His 101 off 82 balls had 5 sixes and 9 fours, and he got out with his team needing 6 runs with more than 7 balls to go, going for a glory shot and holding out to Trent Boult off Neesham.

Mitchell Starc bowls a picture-perfect yorker to remove Ben Stokes

While many saw this World Cup as redemption for David Warner and Steve Smith, who returned to Australia side after their 12-month bans, it was kind of a bizarre tournament for the Australian team in total. Though they lost only two matches in the league stages, to India and South Africa and won the remaining, they didn’t play their best cricket as a unit.

But when they faced their nemesis England at Lord’s in the league stages, Mitchell Starc rose upto the occasion. Chasing 286 to win, England were wholly dependent on Ben Stokes, who was playing a lone hand after Jason Behrendorff and Starc had blown away the top order.  He had made 89 runs in 115 balls and at one time looked like he could do it.

However, Starc produced the ball of the match, a searing reverse swinging yorker, which snaked back into the batsman and bowled him neck and crop. Stokes jammed his bat, which came down too late and he lost the grip of his bat and even kicked it in the sorrow of losing his wicket.

Kuldeep Yadav’s ball of the tournament to Babar Azam

India versus Pakistan match was the most awaited one in the World Cup and when the two sides collided on June 16, sparks flew. The Indian bowlers ran through the Pakistani batsmen after setting them a target of 336 runs thanks to a 140 from Rohit Sharma and half-centuries from KL Rahul and Virat Kohli.

Imam lost his wicket to Vijay Shankar, but Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman added 104 runs for the second wicket. When it looked like Pakistan would finally beat India, Kohli threw the ball to Kuldeep Yadav and he produced magic with a brilliant ball which foxed Azam nicely. The batsman played for no turn, but the ball sneaked past the inside edge and clattered his stumps and Azam was sent back to pavilion for 48. Pakistan crumbled after that and lost by 89 runs via DLS method.

MS Dhoni’s run out knocks India out of World Cup

India and New Zealand played a World Cup semi-final which was a two-day ODI match. New Zealand batted first and put on 239/8 on the second day as the first was rained out. Then Matt Henry and Trent Boult combined to reduce India to 92/6 and that was it, thought many Indian fans. But then Jadeja and Dhoni came together to add more than 100 runs and took India to the doorstep of victory.

With rising run rate, Jadeja perished in order to up the ante and Dhoni remained the last hope for the Men in Blue. In the penultimate over, Dhoni hit the ball towards the square leg and attempted to steal a second run-off Martin Guptill. Guptill, who had a terrible World Cup, let the throw go and it hit the stumps with Dhoni’s bat inches short of the crease. With third umpire confirming Dhoni’s dismissal, India’s hopes of making it into the finals and lifting the trophy vanished as well.

Ben Stokes hits a six that rolls down the ground

It was an important tournament for Ben Stokes, as he had not played in 2015 edition and the shadow of 2016 World T20 loss loomed on him. Then he had the issue of the pub brawl behind him. However, it seemed that he had put that all behind in this tournament and gave it his 100% on the ground. He took an amazing catch in the tournament opener and almost took England to victory against Australia.

However, his best innings came in the finals, when he, along with Jos Buttler kept their cools and took England to the brink of history. With 16 needed off the last over, Boult did try to hit yorkers, but Stokes hit one for a six and on the next ball, tried to steal a second run, again off Guptill, who tried to repeat his throw that ran out Dhoni in the semis.

However, this time, the ball hit the bat of a diving Stokes and was diverted for four overthrows, bringing the equation down to 3 needed off last 2 balls. This helped England tie the match, in which the winner was declared on boundary count, as the Super Over also ended in a tie.