World Cup 2019: Three reasons why New Zealand lost the final against England

#1 Inability to pick up wickets in the middle overs

Stokes and Buttler

New Zealand piled pressure on the hosts' batting order with some exceptional bowling at the top from Mark Henry, Colin de Grandhomme and Lockie Ferguson. Eoin Morgan fell to a brilliant catch from Lockie Ferguson off the bowling of Neesham. With the score at 86/4, New Zealand needed just one more wicket to virtually seal the game in their favor.

However, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler had some other plans as the duo put on a batting exhibition, adding 110 runs for the fifth wicket. Buttler, in particular, was very impressive, scoring 59 runs from just 60 balls.

When Buttler was new at the crease, Williamson should have ideally turned to his main bowlers but instead, he continued to persist with his all-rounders in de Grandhomme and Jimmy Neesham.

The Kiwi skipper might have missed a trick as these five overs from his medium pacers gave Buttler the time to get set at the crease that proved to make a difference in the end.