"So we won it" - Kane Williamson cheekily reacts to shocking umpiring blunder in 2019 World Cup final

Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has admitted that the Ben Stokes overthrow incident in the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's was difficult to swallow. Reminded about the major umpiring error, which saw England being awarded an extra run, the star batter quipped that the Kiwis 'won it'.

England beat New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's under rather controversial circumstances. Responding to Kiwis' 241-8, the hosts also made 241 to take the game into the Super Over. Incredibly, the Super Over was also tied, but England were declared winners on the basis of a bizarre boundary count rule.

During the last over of England's chase, a throw from Martin Guptill hit Stokes' bat, who was diving to save himself from being run out while taking the second. The ball ended up going to the boundary and England were awarded six runs. It was, however, later clarified that England should have got five runs since 'the run in progress only counts if the batsmen had crossed at the instant of the throw'.

Speaking to Star Sports, Williamson relived the nerve-wracking moments in the 2019 World Cup final. On the unlucky overthrow, he defended Stokes and said:

"I mean it went to the boundary and then the rule is the rule. So, you accept that. Stokes put his hands up and wasn't obviously going to run, but it raced off as he deflected it accidentally."

The 35-year-old, however, admitted that they were absolutely shocked when they came to know of the umpiring blunder. Williamson quipped:

"Yeah, there you go, so we won it. It's a good feeling. It was quite remarkable to hear that afterwards and for the umpires to get that wrong. But, in the moment, you went just trying to control what you could control. That was one of those unfortunate things. Remarkable when you see it - Stokes is not even looking."

Following the six overthrows, England were left to get three off two balls. They managed to sneak in two runs to take the final into the Super Over.

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"Trying to make sense was the toughest part" - Williamson on losing on boundary count rule

Williamson won a lot of praise for the composed manner in which he reacted to England being declared 2019 World Cup winners on boundary count rule. He, however, admitted that the rule was difficult to digest. The Kiwi star commented:

"It was a quiet dressing room as you could imagine. There was a lot of disappointment. Obviously, tying there and then the Super Over we tied. So then, it was the boundary count, which unless you read the old manual, if anybody knew that was a rule really [sic]. Trying to make sense of that was the toughest part."

New Zealand needed 16 runs to clinch the Super Over. They finished on 15 as a desperate Guptill was run out attempting a second that was never on.