“While that final at Lord’s was arguably the shittiest day”: Jimmy Neesham on losing against England.

New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham has candidly expressed that, in his view, the matches played after the dramatic 2019 World Cup final did not hold the same significance. For a period of two years following that unforgettable final clash at Lord’s, Neesham admitted to grappling with the outcome.

Recalling that epic encounter, both England and New Zealand found themselves locked at 241 runs apiece, leading to a Super Over showdown. The tension continued as even the Super Over concluded with parity on the scoreboard. In the end, England emerged victorious, their higher boundary count securing the trophy, while New Zealand had to settle for the runners-up position for the second consecutive time.

Reflecting on his feelings at that time, the 33-year-old Neesham revealed that he didn’t invest the same level of emotion into matches that followed the final. He acknowledged that, despite the privilege of being a cricketer, there are days when fortune doesn’t favor them.

Neesham said (to Gurdian) “I struggled for a couple of years after that final because I didn’t really feel like the matches we were playing mattered. That’s no disrespect to the opposition or anything but I would be out in the middle going: ‘I don’t really care.’ There’s no context to a lot of matches, there’s no pressure, there’s a lot of, like, whatever games.”

Neesham even went as far as labeling the World Cup final as the “shittiest day” in his cricketing career.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to do what we do as cricketers and travel around the world and play a game for a living. If you want all the good stuff that comes with that, you have to drink your poison too. You have to accept that you’re going to have some shitty days every now and then. While that final at Lord’s was arguably the shittiest day, it’s not something that you can run away from.”

One memorable moment from that final was Neesham’s presence at the crease during the Super Over bowled by Jofra Archer. He made a significant impact by smashing a crucial six on the second ball of the over. However, the Kiwis’ hopes were dashed when Martin Guptill was run out on the final delivery while attempting to take the second run, as Jos Buttler efficiently removed the bails.