After a wait of 27 years, England is in touching distance of a maiden Cricket World Cup crown. Following a roller-coaster marketing campaign, history may be rewritten at the Lord’s on Sunday (July 14) if the hosts can cross beyond New Zealand inside the grand finale.
Courtesy of the renaissance in English white-ball cricket in current years, the Eoin Morgan-led side came into this tournament as strong contenders. With their electricity-packed batting and a flexible bowling assault, England has been imagined to dominate this ‘domestic’ World Cup. However, following the comfy victory inside the event opener in South Africa, their delivery went through rough water. But they recovered quickly and averted a stunning “Brexit” from the World Cup.
And now, they are one good overall performance away from the ultimate glory.
We rewind England’s journey to the final of the 12th edition of ICC’s top event.
On a shiny and sunny summer’s day at The Oval, South Africa skipper Faf Du Plessis received the toss and was relatively determined to position England. They commenced complaints with the leg-spin of Imran Tahir, and England misplaced the wicket of Jonny Bairstow within the very first over. Nevertheless, the hosts recovered from the early setback and positioned up a competitive 311/8, courtesy of 1/2 centuries via Jason Roy, Joe Root, Morgan, and Ben Stokes.
In the second half, it becomes the flip of Jofra Archer and the company to show off their talents. The English bowlers, specifically seamers, took wickets at normal periods and never allowed South Africa to build any momentum of their run-chase. Barring Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen, no different South African batter placed up against any extensive resistance as England registered a secure 104-run victory to start their marketing campaign.
Meanwhile, the spotlight of the match was Stokes’s tremendous catch on the boundary line to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo off Moeen Ali’s bowling.
A shocking defeat to Pakistan with the aid of 14 runs
This game was considered because of the first upset of the tournament. England came into the World Cup after whitewashing Pakistan in a bilateral ODI series. But come to the World Cup, England choked. First, a scratchy bowling attempt and sloppy fielding allowed Pakistan to publish an enormous 348/8 even as batting in this fixture in Nottingham. Later in their run-chase, the centuries of Root and Jos Buttler helped the hosts to cling in there until the very last moment of the sport; however, ultimately, it became the dying bowling of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, which noticed Pakistan through on this contest.
Bouncing returned against Bangladesh with a 106-run victory
In this game in Cardiff, Roy unleashed himself towards a normal Bangladesh assault. His 153, alongside the half of centuries of Bairstow and Buttler, helped England bat the opponent out of the competition by scoring a massive 386. And of their run-chase, notwithstanding the heroics of Shakib Al Hasan (121 off 119 balls), Bangladesh fell quickly by way of 106 runs as England bounced back comprehensively following the Pakistan setback.
Thrashing West Indies by way of eight wickets
Yet, no other one-sided contest has become for England. In Southampton, batting first, West Indies crumbled in opposition to the English seamers to best manage to get 212 at the board. Root took over the opening spot and scored some other hundred while Chris Woakes turned into despatched at No. Three. Meanwhile, Roy suffered hamstring damage on this fit even as fielding and was ultimately dominated out for a couple of weeks. He got an accessible forty because the hosts crossed the winning line in just 33.1 overs and eight wickets to spare.
A large hundred and fifty-run triumph in opposition to Afghanistan
This fixture at Old Trafford in Manchester saw England skipper Morgan hit document 17 sixes during his sensational 148 off seventy-one deliveries. Batting first, the hosts scored 397 for six and then restrained Afghanistan for 251 for eight in their allocated 50 overs.
