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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matthew Cooper

Ben Stokes cracks 2016 T20 World Cup joke after earning redemption six years later

Ben Stokes has cracked a joke about his infamous last over in the 2016 T20 World Cup final after guiding England to victory in the final of this year's tournament.

In 2016, Stokes got smashed for four consecutive sixes by Carlos Brathwaite as West Indies snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in dramatic fashion. But six years on from heartbreak in Kolkata, Stokes earned redemption with a timely half-century to seal victory for England with an over to spare.

And while speaking to a selection of Sky Sports commentators after the match, including his former captain Eoin Morgan, Stokes joked about that 2016 final. "When the great man [Morgan] stepped down and Jos took over, you look how quickly he's managed to take control of the team and progress it from the legacy Morgs has left.

"Jos has now created his own legacy - T20 World Cup winning captain. He [Morgan] had the chance, but someone blew that up. Not quite sure who that was!"

And Morgan, who of course led England to 50-over World Cup glory in 2016 and was also part of the side which won the T20 World Cup in 2010, believes this side can now be regarded as 'one of the great T20 sides'.

"It is such an incredible feeling - pure joy, relief, happiness," Morgan told Sky Sports. "This team deserves it.

"They've been through the mill in the group stages and they've produced close to their very best against India in the semi-final. Jos Buttler said, 'We don't want to be known as a team just for our style of play'.

"We were known like that in 50 overs then won the 50-over World Cup in 2019. In T20 they've now won something tangible to be regarded as one of the great sides. They were excellent."

England ultimately won the game by five wickets, with Pakistan fighting hard after posting a below-par total. Sam Curran, Adil Rashid and Chris Jordan were outstanding with the ball to limit them to 137-8, before Stokes guided England home under pressure.

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