Never Asked To Cancel Four Runs Off The Overthrow, Says Ben Stokes

England was awarded six-overthrow runs during the ICC World Cup 2019 final against New Zealand which changed the face of the game. All-rounder Ben Stokes, from whose bat the ball deflected off to the boundaries said that he never asked the umpires to cancel the four runs of the overthrow.

During the final over in England’s chase of 241 on July 14 at Lord’s, Stokes accidentally knocked the ball coming in from deep midwicket fielder. The ball deflected off to the third man boundary while attempting to dive for his crease with an outstretched bat in a bid to complete his second run.

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After consultation with Marais Erasmus and the rest of his umpiring colleagues, Kumar Dharmasena awarded six runs for the turn of events which changed the game in favour of England.

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The host claimed their maiden World Cup title on the Super Over boundary count after the 50-over match and Super Over couldn’t separate both the teams. After the final game, veteran England fast bowler James Anderson had claimed that the all-rounder had asked the umpires to cancel the four overthrow runs.

“I saw all of that. I was thinking to myself, did I say that? But hand on heart, I did not go up to the umpires and say something like that to the umpires,” Stokes said in the latest episode of BBC podcast ‘Tuffers and Vaughan’.

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Furthermore, Ben Stokes admitted that he had apologised to New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson and wicket-keeper Tom Latham soon after the event occurred. Stokes has been a national star since winning the World Cup for his country earlier this month.

“I went straight to Tom Latham and said ‘Mate, I am so sorry’, looked over to Kane (Williamson) and said ‘I’m sorry’,” Stokes concluded.