12:00 AM, July 01, 2019 / LAST MODIFIED: 10:58 AM, July 01, 2019

Saifuddin misses the bus

MOHAMMAD SAIFUDDIN

Sports Reporter from Birmingham

The Bangladesh team bus departed the Hyatt Regency and headed towards Edgbaston at around 12:10pm yesterday, where the team would have its first full practice session since their last World Cup game against Afghanistan. The departure was delayed by 10 minutes because bowling coach Courtney Walsh was talking to the media. Five minutes after the bus left, however, all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin was seen standing in front of the main entrance, looking forlornly at his departed ride.

He disappeared inside, evidently to call a taxi, which he boarded presently and was off for practice. Apart from paying the taxi fare, Saifuddin’s tardiness will also cost him because he will have to pay a fine in accordance with team disciplinary rules.

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“He was late,” Bangladesh media manager Rabeed Imam told The Daily Star. “We did not wait for him. The departure was late anyway because Walsh was talking to the media. He will have to pay a fine.”

The media manager was not sure how much the fine would be, but it is expected to be around the 100-pound mark. A costly few extra minutes of sleep indeed.

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There's no point in head scratching or pondering on ways to turn back time, it's done. Bangladesh have exited the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and boarded their flight back home from England yesterday. However, on their way back, there still may be a few things lingering at the back of their minds. Perhaps such thoughts could lead to imaginary scenarios where the 'what ifs' make the difference between what was and what could have been. Just what if…

Mushy had been a little patient

What are the must-do things while defending a below-par 244, that too against a compact New Zealand side at the biggest stage -- a World Cup game? Well, the message from the pavilion would have been to grab every chance you get. If not literally, grabbing opportunities on the ground become easier when you are wearing a pair of gloves. Creating an opportunity, even a tiny error of judgement from the opposition is induced by a series of small endeavours while in pursuit of your aim. But when the moment comes, you need to wait and make the right call and time it to perfection. Maybe Mushfiqur Rahim -- the man with the gloves behind the stumps for the Tigers -- succumbed to euphoria while thinking about the result and had not been concentrating on the process that needs to be done in order to get a desired outcome when he tried to grab the ball early in an attempt to have Kane Williamson run-out in the 12th over. Mushfiqur knocked the bails off with his arm before grabbing the ball and the Kiwi skipper -- batting on eight at that time -- who was nowhere near the crease, had eventually made his ground and survived, courtesy of that error. Williamson, who was finally dismissed on 40 in the 32nd over, went on to string together a 105-run third-wicket stand with Ross Taylor in a game that the Tigers lost by just two wickets.

GOD LET THE SUN SHINE!

The persistent drizzle at the Country Ground in Bristol on June 11 might not have had a huge impact on the lifestyle of the city's inhabitants but it did mar Bangladesh's chalked out plan or intended route to the semifinal of the World Cup. Going into the World Cup, Bangladesh were expected to beat the likes of Afghanistan, West Indies -- which they did eventually -- and Sri Lanka. And when Bangladesh started their campaign with an unexpected yet well-deserved 21-run victory over South Africa, the Tigers had just made their chances brighter, needing to do the regulation work from then on and a few surprise wins over the powerhouses of cricket to pave their way to a maiden World Cup semifinal. However, it all depended on that game against Sri Lanka -- a side that are one place lower in ICC ODI rankings than Bangladesh -- where the Tigers were clearly the favourites. Unfortunately, the Tigers were kept waiting, maybe with hopes of the rain to stop in Bristol, till the official announcement of the match being abandoned was made, forcing the Tigers to remain content with one point from the inexperienced Sri Lankan side.

SABBIR IMPACTED THE RIGHT TEAM

The team management was probably right on money to give Sabbir Rahman the nod ahead of Mosaddek Hossain for the game against Australia on June 20 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, given Sabbir's reputation and proven ability of playing pace well and better than most in the Tigers' XI. But little did they know that Sabbir's impact in the game would see Australia opener David Warner's bat shine instead of Sabbir himself. Often the destructive Warner does not provide his opposition with any chances but Bangladesh were probably lucky to have been presented with two chances by the left-hander which were both relinquished in the same game. The first opportunity came as early as the fifth over, when Warner went on his back foot to cut a Mashrafe Bin Mortaza delivery towards backward point only to see a perfectly positioned Sabbir going low to his right with both hands and spilling the ball onto the ground. Warner, on just 10, breathed a sigh of relief. By the time the next opportunity came, Warner had inflicted just the right amount of pain as expected after being handed a life early on, as the 32-year old was then batting on 70 in the 26th over. A slight mix-up between him and Usman Khawaja saw Warner run a quarter way to other end but he soon realised that he had to sprint back. A fumble by the same culprit, Sabbir, at mid-on allowed Warner to reach home safely. And this time Warner would stop only after hitting a 147-ball 166 in a game where the Tigers lost by 48 runs and were left wondering what could have happened had they restricted Australia to 30 or 40 runs less than their mammoth 381 for five.

TAMIM HAD NOT DONE THAT

Tamim Iqbal usually takes these types of catches nine times out of ten during fielding drills at practice sessions. But the one time he would miss the catch was unfortunately during Bangladesh's must-win game against India on July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. This time it was not a call for catch by a fielding coach after hitting the ball in the air with a willow during practice sessions as it was India opener Rohit Sharma who had mistimed an attempted pull shot off Mustafizur Rahman in the fifth over of a high intensity World Cup tie. Tamim, running to his left from deep square leg, covered almost 15 yards and did all the hard work before applying the finishing touch -- catching the ball. But to everyone's surprise he spilled the ball after touching it with the palm of his hand before watching it ricochet off his chest and fall to the ground. Rohit, who was on nine, moved onto 10 after taking a single and survived. But you don't expect a batsman of Rohit's calibre to stop there, right? Shrugging off the heart in hand moment, Rohit kept on inflicting misery on Bangladesh, scoring a magnificent 104 off 92 deliveries. The right-hander was adjudged player-of-the-match in their 28-run victory over the Tigers.

THERE WAS A CLONE OF SHAKIB?

While wondering about what could have happened for Bangladesh in the ongoing World Cup, imagining something totally absurd would not do much harm. The Tigers are out of the World Cup but one particular Tiger from the squad still remains in the mega event. Bangladesh's ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is well in contention for the player-of-tournament award after his excellent World Cup campaign. The prestigious award would certainly be at the top of Shakib's personal achievement's shelf and it would not be a surprise to see him add the trophy to his other accolades. Playing in eight matches, Shakib has scored fifty or more in seven of them -- with a score of 41 against Australia being the only anomaly. The all-rounder scored back-to-back hundreds in this World Cup and also smashed five fifties. Shakib, who finished with 606 runs, became only the third player ever after Sachin Tendulkar and Matthew Hayden to have scored 600 runs in one edition of the World Cup. While Sachin and Hayden did not part-take with the ball, Shakib has also scalped 11 wickets in the mega event to see him ahead of anyone else in the race to be adjudged the player-of-the-tournament. Maybe now the team management will be left pondering on ways to get a clone of Shakib to further bolster the side.

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"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become a villain" is an iconic dialogue from The Dark Knight, a popular film from the Batman series. In essence, it resonates enormously with what veteran Mahmudullah Riyad has become for Bangladesh cricket in the 20-over format.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his inclusion, the 38-year-old was named in the 15-member squad announced for the upcoming three-match T20I series against India, starting in Gwalior on October 6.

Mahmudullah's fate looked to be sealed after Bangladesh lost their last Super Eights match of the 2024 T20 World Cup against Afghanistan -- a contest in which Najmul Hossain Shanto's side had the chance of making it to the semifinals of the tournament for the very first time.

As one of the chief architects of the catastrophic approach that led to the defeat, the 38-year-old veteran had dished out a detrimental knock that was a far cry from reflecting the mentality of a side chasing greater and unprecedented success.

With Mahmudullah having managed just 95 runs in seven matches with a disappointing strike rate of 94.05 in that edition, it appeared the demanding format seemed to have outpaced the most experienced Bangladesh player in T20Is, with the second-highest runs in the format.

Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, however, put an end to speculations about Mahmudullah's spot, saying that he considered the experience factor when selecting the veteran batter, but it seemed to have contradicted his vision regarding the composition of the Tigers' T20 side in the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Mahmudullah not chosen for Asia Cup 2023 in Bangladesh's squad

Mahmudullah 'felt bad' after being ignored in 2022 T20 World Cup

Lipu said that the squad was a reflection of their plans for the mega event, centring around youth and exuberance, and pointed out that players would get a couple of editions of the Bangladesh Premier League, and as many T20 editions of the National Cricket League, in addition to about 21 T20Is in the build-up to the major event.

If that is indeed the case, then why not back someone younger instead of Mahmudullah, who will turn 40 by 2026? It is baffling to see the selectors carrying the right-handed batter who has played in all but one edition of the T20 World Cup but has very little to show for it on the biggest stage -- in 37 T20 World Cup matches, Mahmudullah mustered 458 runs, averaging 17.62 with a strike rate of 106.76.

The big debate about "finding a replacement" for Mahmudullah often follows. The popular argument amongst fans and experts is often that there is no replacement for a senior player in the side, such as Mahmudullah, and other players would have to fill in and strive to do what the veteran has been doing. However, the fundamental flaw in this reasoning is the focus on finding a replacement, rather than seeking someone better.

Since January 2021, Mahmudullah has batted at a strike rate of 115.88 in 20 matches in positions 6-8. When batting in the same positions in T20 World Cups, it comes down to 114.78, and in both cases, the average flirts around roughly 23. It is quite a puzzle to decipher the selectors' thoughts for the future when they've found their faith in such numbers produced by a player nearing the dusk of his career. When will they get past the hangover of the six Mahmudullah flicked in the Nidahas Trophy in 2018?

And as for the Batman analogy, the question with Mahmudullah at this point is what comes after one lingers long enough to become a villain, as he had arguably become one following Bangladesh's T20 World Cup exit in June.

Shakib Al Hasan, meanwhile, announced his plan for retirement from T20Is on Friday, underlining the need for new faces to come through, keeping in mind the T20 World Cup two years from now.

Now, it sets a premise for Mahmudullah to perhaps follow in Shakib's footsteps, thinking about the greater good of the team; or he could maintain the status quo and keep hold of a vital spot by virtue of being one of the "Fab Five".

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Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said it was frustrating not to be able to play due to rain after Day 2 of the second Test against India in Kanpur was washed out.

Bangladesh reached 107-3 on the previous day when only 35 overs were played before bad light and subsequent rain suspended proceedings.

"It's very frustrating as a player. The match started after so many difficulties and was played for a while as well and then stopped. It is frustrating for players. There is nothing to do," Shanto told reporters on Saturday.

Shanto was one of the three wickets that fell on Day 1. The left-handed batter, who registered one half-century in his previous 12 Test innings, scored 31 before he was trapped lbw by India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

"I think we lost an additional wicket. We started well with the bat. Our position is still good. I wouldn't say it's too bad. We still have a lot of batters left. We can go towards a good position if we can have a couple of partnerships. At this point, I would say we are in the middle.

"The wicket was good. The challenge here is that the play is being interrupted [due to rain]; it's an on-and-off thing. The batters have to bat with the concern that rain can become an obstacle at any time which is tough."

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England ended their 44-year wait for a maiden 50-overs World Cup title by beating a gutsy New Zealand side on boundaries after a tied Super Over amidst heart-stopping drama on Sunday.

Chasing 242 for victory, Ben Stokes' scintillating 84 not out helped the hosts tie the see-saw contest, forcing the Super Over where more nail-biting excitement unfolded.

Buttler and Stokes took 15 runs off Trent Boult's Super Over without losing their wickets.

New Zealand also scored 15 runs off Jofra Archer's over but England won on boundary count, triggering wild celebrations at Lord's as the hosts capped a stunning turnaround.

Since being unceremoniously dumped out of the 2015 edition of the marquee tournament in Australia, Eoin Morgan's England side have reinvented themselves as a white-ball juggernaut, heading into this World Cup as overwhelming favourites.

Back-to-back defeats by Sri Lanka and Australia in the group stage helped England rediscover the attacking brand of fearless cricket which has been the hallmark of the current team.

They dismantled India and New Zealand to storm into the semi-finals, where they crushed Australia with another ruthless display of all-round excellence.

Sunday's final, England's first since 1992, pitted them against a New Zealand team chasing their own slice of history after spending decades as the tournament's bridesmaids.

CONTROLLED BOWLING

Morgan lost an important toss, but Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes led England's controlled bowling display to restrict New Zealand to 241 for eight on a two-paced wicket.

Henry Nicholls made 55 and Tom Latham chipped in with 47 but lack of significant partnerships hurt New Zealand, who eventually settled for a below-par total.

Nicholls and Williamson put on 74 runs to bolster the New Zealand innings but Plunkett's two-wicket, cross-seam masterclass took the wind out of their sails.

Plunkett dismissed both batsmen just when the partnership was looking dangerous and he eventually finished with 3-42.

Woakes claimed three as well, including the wicket of Latham just when the batsman was looking poised to provide the late charge that could have taken New Zealand past the 250-mark.

New Zealand's new ball pair of Trent Boult and Matt Henry returned determined not to let it become a cakewalk for the hosts.

Henry dismissed the in-form Jason Roy for 10 and Colin de Grandhomme put a struggling Joe Root (7) out of his misery.

England could have been in a bigger hole had de Grandhomme not dropped a waist-high return catch from Bairstow, then on 18.

England were gasping on 86-4 when Stokes was joined by Buttler for a 110-run stand to revive the chase and tie the scores, producing one of the most thrilling matches in the history of the game. (Source: Reuters)

England win a thriller to clinch their maiden World Cup after tied match. England lift the World Cup courtesy of more boundaries in the match as the Super Over also finished on a tie. Both teams scored 15 runs in the Super Over. England are ecstatic after this unbelievable game that created heart-stopping drama right till the last ball of the tournament.

The Kiwis fought till the end and in the final ball of the Super Over, they needed two but Guptill fell short of his crease after hitting it towards mid wicket. Jason Roy picked the ball up at midwicket before he threw it at the striker's end and Buttler took off the bails to hand England the trophy. It took a tie-break rule to seperate the two sides and England won it because of more boundaries in the match.

New Zealand need 16 runs in the Super Over to win the World Cup. Neesham and Martin Guptill are batting for New Zealand.

0.1 - Wide ball from Archer

0.1 - NZ runs two

0.2 - A humongous hit from Neesham. What a hit. Six!

0.3 - Neesham takes two again. NZ need five runs from three deliveries.

0.4 - Another two from Neesham

0.5 - A single this time and Guptill to play last delivery. NZ need two

0.6 - Guptill tries two but he is short of his crease. Run out ! The match is tied but England win the World Cup

Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler has come into bat for England in the Super Over. Boult to bowl the Super Over for the Kiwis. England gets 15 in the Super Over.

Super Over England

0.1 - Three runs. Stokes gets a top edge and goes over third man and England run three.

0.2 - Buttler takes a single

0.3 - Stokes plays it fabulously over mid wicket for four

0.4 - Buttler takes a single

0.5 - Two runs

0.6 - Stokes gets a four.

49.6, Eng 241 all out - The final between New Zealand and England has gone to Super Over in what is the most thrilling final ever in a World Cup match. England needed 15 in the last over and 2 runs were needed off the last delivery bowled by Trent Boult and Stokes who has been batting brilliantly, checked his stroke in the last delivery that he played at long on and tried to steal two. He runs two but his partner Mark Wood at the other end is short of his crease. Run out! What a game of cricket! The World Cup final is tied and there will be a Super Over to decide the fate of the game. Rashid run out (Santner/Boult) 0 (0b 0x4 0x6)

48.6, ENG 227/8: Jofra Archer clean bowled by Neesham by a slower ball.

48.3, ENG 220/7: Plunkett looked to score a six but was caught at long off as Jimmy Neesham scalped his second of the day.

46.1, ENG 203/6: Another wicket as Lockie Ferguson sent Chris Woakes sent back. Ferguson banged in short and a top edge led the ball high in the sky. Wicket keeper Tom Latham went behind to take a comfortable catch at the end to bring life to this chase. Nail biting as Ben Stokes still in the middle. Liam Plunkett in the middle to accompany Stokes.

44.5, ENG 196/5: Lockie Ferguson breaks the hundred run partnership as the substitute fielder Tim Southee took a catch at sweeper cover to send Jos Buttler back. It seemed like this pair would take the England over the line but the batsman sliced a 123kmph ball and never looked in control. New energy in the New Zealand players as they feel like they can defend the total.

New Zealand bowlers have no answer to the Buttler, Stokes pair as the batsmen look to hammer through to victory. Jos Buttler jabbed a Trent Boult ball off the mid wicket for four to bring up his half century, whereas, a ball later, Ben Stokes took a single as he pushed a ball towards to bring up his half century. This one hundred run partnership was the one thing England needed and the New Zealand looked to have no answers to the havoc. Game slipping away from the Kiwis.

A fifty run stand between Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler as England look to chase the total of 242. The batsmen had to toil hard for each run in the initial stages of their innings but as the partnership grew, the players looked to play more freely. A long way to go for the English side to lift their first World Cup as New Zealand do not seem to have lost any energy in the middle. The Kiwi bowlers and fielders have done everything possible to subdue the run rate and create pressure till now. However, this partnership looked dangerous for the New Zealanders.

20.1, ENG 86/4: A stunning catch by Lockie Ferguson sent an unsettled Eoin Morgan back to the dressing room for nine in 22 balls. The whole stadium was in awe as Ferguson came running from the boundary line and dive infront towards the ball only to scalp one of the best catches in this tournament. The umpires sent it upstairs to get a closer look but the catch was clean. Jimmy Neesham gets his first of the day. EJG Morgan c Ferguson b Neesham 9 (22b 0x4 0x6) SR: 40.90

England's Jonny Bairstow (R) walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the 2019 Cricket World Cup final between England and New Zealand at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Photo: AFP

19.3, ENG 73/3: Jonny Bairstow chopped himself out as Lockie Ferguson scalped his first of the day. Bairstow scored 36 runs off 55 balls as England lost wickets in quick successions. Runs have been hard to come as New Zealand's fielding made sure the English had to work hard for every run. In desperate need of a partnership, Ben Stokes came onto the field in hope to steady the ship for England. JM Bairstow b Ferguson 36 (55b 7x4 0x6) SR: 65.45

New Zealand's Colin de Grandhomme celebrates taking the wicket of England's Joe Root. Photo: Reuters

16.3, ENG 59/2: Colin De Grandhomme sent back Joe Root, as the batsman nicked the ball to the keeper Tom Latham. The England number three never looked comfortable in the middle as he scored seven off 30 deliveries. JE Root c †Latham b de Grandhomme 7 (30b 0x4 0x6) SR: 23.33

England bring up their fifty within 15 overs with major contribution from Jonny Bairstow who looked to score with ease in the middle. The batsmen scored 30 runs with Joe Root on the other side. New Zealand bowlers and fielders have been excellent to keep the runs in check.

5.4, ENG 28/1: Mat Henry got the prized wicket of Jason Roy as New Zealand got their first wicket. Angling in towards the off stump, the ball was inviting as Jason Roy nicked it to give the Kiwi wicket keeper Tom Latham a comfortable catch behind the stumps. A huge blow for England as Roy always ensured England got a perfect start at the beginning. Joe Root came onto the field to accompany Bairstow in the middle. JJ Roy c †Latham b Henry 17 (20b 3x4 0x6) SR: 85.00

England came down to chase a total of 242 runs after their excellent display of bowling and fielding in the first innings.

New Zealand bowlers were on top as Jason Roy survived an early scare of a LBW. However, after the umpire adjudged it not out, Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson took some time before deciding to review it. Fate was not on his side as the ball just clipped the stumps, thus the on field umpire had the last say.

The ball looked to swing in and out and also stuck on the pitch in the first five overs but the England openers Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, despite having started shakily, upped the tempo.

New Zealand's Colin De GRANDHOMME sent back. Photo: Reuters

England restrict New Zealand for 241

Having chosen to bat after winning the toss, New Zealand could only manage 241 for eight at the end of their 50 overs.

England restricted New Zealand to 241-8 in the World Cup final as the hosts boosted their bid to make history by winning the tournament for the first time on Sunday.

Eoin Morgan's side were fuelled by three wickets each from Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes on a green-tinged pitch in cloudy conditions that aided the pace bowlers at Lord's.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had elected to bat first, but his gamble backfired, with only Henry Nicholls (55) reaching a half-century for the 2015 World Cup runners-up in their 50 overs.

England struck early when opener Martin Guptill was dismissed by Woakes, before Williamson and Nicholls put on 74 for the second wicket.

Plunkett restored England's grip on the match with two quick wickets to remove star batsman Williamson for 30 and then Nicholls.

New Zealand, who are aiming to win the World Cup for the first time, could not establish any momentum after that as economical bowling from Plunkett, Woakes and Mark Wood turned the screw for England.

Plunkett finished with impressive figures of three wickets for 42 runs from his 10 overs, while Woakes took 3-37 from nine overs.

Derek Pringle was the only previous England player to take three wickets in a World Cup final, his haul coming against Pakistan in 1992.

Pringle's efforts were in vain as they lost that final against Pakistan 27 years ago.

England were also beaten in their two other World Cup finals, against Australia in 1987 and the West Indies in 1979.

Thanks to Plunkett and Woakes, England are within touching distance of finally ending their long wait to join England's footballers in 1966 and the 2003 rugby union team as world champions.

(AFP)

49.3, NZ 240/8: Mat Henry just looked to hit the ball over the boundary without looking for proper timing. A full ball right on to the stumps as Jofra Archer bagged his first of the day.

48.3, NZ 232/7: Another soft dismissal as Tom Latham lofted one to mid off fielder James Vince. Chirs Woakes was the second man after Liam Plunkett to scalp three wickets. England completely in control as they look to finish strong. TWM Latham c sub (JM Vince) b Woakes 47 (56b 2x4 1x6) SR: 83.92

46.5, NZ 219/6: A soft dismissal as Chris Woakes scalped his first wicket of the day. Colin De Grandhomme never looked comfortable in the middle after he was struck on the head by Jofra Archer. England seemed to be in charge as New Zealand were not given a chance to free their hands too much in the third power-play yet. Mitchell Santner came on to the field to accompany Latham. C de Grandhomme c sub (JM Vince) b Woakes 16 (28b 0x4 0x6) SR: 57.14

39, NZ 173/5: A big bump in the road for New Zealand as Jimmy Neesham was sent back by Liam Plunkett. A straightforward catch at mid on by Joe Root as Neesham had to walk home despite having scored freely in the middle. The partnership of Jimmy Neesham and Tom Latham looked to be dangerous for England but Plunkett who was brought in by England skipper Eoin Morgan to break this partnership struck gold again. JDS Neesham c Root b Plunkett 19 (25b 3x4 0x6) SR: 76.00

33.1, NZ 141/4 : Mark Wood sent Ross Taylor back as England do not seem let New Zealand build a partnership. The ball angled in from wide, as the ball struck the pads of the New Zealand batsmen Ross Taylor, given out by the umpire. The Kiwis were not able to review the decision as Martin Guptill used the allocated review for New Zealand. However, the ball tracker showed that the ball would have missed the stumps as it would have gone over the leg stumps. LRPL Taylor lbw b Wood 15 (31b 0x4 0x6) SR: 48.38

26.5, NZ 118/3: The ball nicked the bat before it went to hit the stumps as Henry Nicholls was sent back by Liam Plunkett. Two breakthroughs in quick successions by Plunkett as he scalped his second in the match to put England in the driving seat. New Zealand were looking comfortable in the middle with Nicholls and Williamson, building a strong partnership but two strikes by Plunkett sent both these batsmen back to the pavilion. HM Nicholls b Plunkett 55 (77b 4x4 0x6) SR: 71.42

25.1, NZ 110/2: Henry Nicholls scored a fighting half century despite losing his opening partner Guptill and skipper Williamson on the other side. Nicholls's kept his celebrations in check keeping in mind the task he has in hand to take the Kiwis to a decent total.

New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the 2019 Cricket World Cup final between England and New Zealand at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Photo: AFP

22.4, NZ 103/2: Liam Plunkett sent New Zealand captain Kane Williamson back to the dressing room as a review turned the decision to the favor of the Englishmen. Umpire Kumar Dharmasena initially ruled it as a not out but, the England skipper, Eoin Morgan was very confident as he instantly took the review. The ball seemed to get a heavy touch with the bat before landing inside the gloves of Jos Butler, an easy catch for the wicket keeper. Williamson out after scoring 30 runs off 53 balls as Ross Taylor made his way into the crease. KS Williamson c †Buttler b Plunkett 30 (53b 2x4 0x6) SR: 56.60

21.2, NZ 100/1: New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls put up a 50-plus run partnership in the middle to take the Kiwis past the hundred run mark within 22 overs, after the early demise of Martin Guptill. The batsmen took comfortable singles and doubles and scored odd boundaries in loose balls to put the Kiwis in a srong position to put up an above par score in the final.

Martin Guptill's poor World Cup form continued in the today's final at Lord's. Photo: AFP

6.2, NZ 29/1: Henry Nicholls had survived with a review off Chris Woakes but his opening partner Martin Guptill is not so lucky as he is trapped infront by Woakes when looking to drive the ball on the up. Guptill challenged the umpire's decision and took the review but replays showed that ball would have hit the stumps this time around. England draw first blood in this final. Guptill lbw b Woakes 19 (18b 2x4 1x6) SR: 105.55

Nicholls survives with early review

It looked like England had drawn first blood when Chirs Woakes hit Henry Nicholls with a inswinger which darted back in late to the left-hander. The umpire raised his finger but Nicholls considererd it for a moment even as the ball hit his back leg. Everything looks good for England except the height of the delivery and replays confirm that the ball would have missed the stumps. Good decision to review that one. Nicholls survives.

New Zealand have won the crucial toss and decided to bat first against England in the final of the 2019 ICC World Cup at Lord's. Both teams are unchanged.

Playing XIs:

England: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(wk), Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, James Neesham, Tom Latham (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson

The toss was delayed by 15 minutes due to morning showers, but rain seems to have eased away. The match will start at 3:45pm Bangladesh time.

Fans dressed up in umpire uniforms for the World Cup final at Lord's. Photo: Reuters

The prize purse for the winners and runners-up is heavy, with the champions to get $4m and the runners-up half of it. There will also be indivdual awards, including the MVP of the tournament, where Shakib Al Hasan is a front-runner.

But that will be decided after the final itself. The past finals have been rather drab affair, one-sided and often predictable. This time, we'd hope it is a different thing for the sake of the game and those who follow it.

At least one thing that is definitely going to be different is that we will get a new champion. And it is likely to be a battle between the most explosive batting line-up and a shrewd bowling attack.

Hosts England have brushed aside years of underachievement by reaching the final for a fourth time -- 27 years since their last -- and look like the team to beat. New Zealand, the perennial semifinalists, had gone one better last time with a final appearance. Could they go one better again this time?

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Bangladesh ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan appears to be available to play the second and final Test in Kanpur, beginning tomorrow, despite widespread speculation regarding the condition of his fingers and whether he might play solely as a batter due to ongoing discomfort.

He was supposed to be under observation, but coach Chandika Hathurusingha said yesterday that Shakib is eligible for selection, and he has no reports suggesting otherwise.

Shakib batted in the nets for a limited time yesterday. He mostly struggled but Shakib knows his tasks and typically only works on what he needs before games. He will have another day before the match to sort himself out. Hathurusingha was not aware of Shakib's issue, even though he did not turn up with the ball at the nets.

"I have not heard anything on Shakib, regarding any complaints," he said, informing that Shakib was available for selection.

"About Shakib Al Hasan there is no doubt at the moment. I haven't heard from my physio or anyone, so he is eligible for selection," Hathurusingha said.

Overall, the head coach was happy with Shakib's batting in the first Test.

"I am upset about not his (Shakib's) performance, but our overall performance and how we could have done better. I am sure that he also thinks that he can perform better and we all know what he is capable of," said the coach.

"I think he batted really well in the second innings. He couldn't go on, not because of lack of pride but for the sheer quality of the opposition," the Lankan coach added.

That quality of the opposition has been a little daunting since Tigers themselves were in pretty good vein of form after a historic Test series sweep in Pakistan.

The approach of the batters have been under the magnifying glass. There was a team meeting in Chennai after the first Test to dissect mistakes the batters made.

"The concern is what we talk about whether we do that (convert their starts) in the middle and we normally talk about if you get a start make it big; and that's the biggest concern. Some of the guys are playing 30 to 40 balls, and in cricket the hardest thing is to get in."

It was also a case of the team management, especially the head coach, on what the batters learned from the conditions in the last match at Chennai.

The openers have gotten starts but not made it big. They had applied themselves and not only got in but settled fluently to put pressure on India. Yet, the India attack can produce deliveries that can win games of cricket. Jaspit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj or Ravichandran Ashwin do that on a regular basis. There is a lot of hard thinking to do.

Asked if he went into specifics, especially of top-order debacle, he said: "We spoke about it [specifics]. They spoke about what they learned from the condition and oppositions. We are a good side and you will see a better approach and understanding of what the opposition are trying to do."

There is the possibility of low bounce. Is Taijul Islam being readied? The Tigers have a day to consider all the aspects as Kanpur heats up under the boiling sun in what could be a gruelling contest for the Tigers.

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