New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill did not have the best World Cup, but looked back at the thrilling final against England at Lord’s and said “everyone was all over the game and it was just a shame for us about the result.”
The final at Lord’s was an absolute classic which ended with Eoin Morgan lifting the World Cup trophy, a first for the England men’s cricket team, after they won the contest on account of having scored more boundaries during the match, after the Super Over too ended in a tie.
“Up until the third ball we were right in the box seat,” Guptill said ICC. “And then it wasn’t to be, but that’s just the way cricket goes, as players. It was one hell of a final.
“I guess it was the throw that I threw in from the boundary and hit the back of Stokes’ bat, and trickled off for four,” he said. “You know when that sort of thing happens, from a throw from the boundary, it tends not to go your way.”
The batsman acknowledged that the mood in the New Zealand dressing room was indeed ‘sombre’ after the losing the game of their lives, but added that the team was soon able to appreciate that they had produced one of the “greatest games” in the history of the sport.
“The support that we had from back home and even around here, and what you see on social media, everyone just loved the game, whether they were cricket watchers or not,” Guptill said. “Everyone was all over the game and they loved it and it was just a shame for us about the result.
“We actually had quite a good party,” he added. “I mean, obviously it was quite a sombre mood for a while but then we realised we were part of one of the greatest games in cricket history, so we got over it fairly quickly. We had a good time together, because we’re not going to be together as a group like that for a while yet.”
