Table of Contents
Jofra Archer’s scorching Day 5 spell that propelled England to a thrilling 22-run victory over India at Lord’s didn’t stem from the memories of England’s 2019 ODI World Cup triumph, but from a completely different, and unexpected, inspiration: Sourav Ganguly’s shirt-waving celebration after India’s famous 2002 NatWest Trophy win at the very same ground.
Ben Stokes links Sourav Ganguly’s Lord’s moment to Jofra Archer’s inspiration
As tension gripped Lord’s on the final morning, with India needing just over 130 runs and six wickets in hand, Archer delivered a fiery six-over spell that shattered India’s lower order. But off the field, it was a moment of comic relief that stole the show.
After the match in the post-match press conference, Stokes revealed that earlier on the fifth day when he casually asked Archer if he remembered the importance of July 14, the pacer, in classic Archer style, responded not with the memory of England’s World Cup win in 2019, but with Ganguly’s bare-chested roar on the Lord’s balcony. Stokes shared the anecdote at the post-match press conference, laughing as he recalled their exchange before the start of play:
“I asked Jofra, ‘You know what day it is today, right?’ hoping he’d say it’s our World Cup anniversary. And he goes, ‘Yeah, that was when India chased 300 and Ganguly waved his shirt!’ He genuinely thought that was a World Cup final, absolute beauty, that boy,” Stokes said.
Incredibly, while the memory was a decade off and the occasion misidentified, it lit the spark Archer needed. His bowling was anything but muddled. England needed magic, and Archer delivered it.
Archer and Stokes rattle Indian batting on Day 5 of the ENG vs IND Lord’s Test
With India at 58/4 and in sight of a historic win, Archer struck gold. He produced a dream delivery to knock back Rishabh Pant’s off stump, a ball seaming away late at high pace, sending the stump cartwheeling. Soon after, he pulled off a sharp return catch to dismiss Washington Sundar, showing off both reflexes and control under pressure. Stokes chipped in by trapping KL Rahul lbw with a perfect inswinger, and just like that, India’s middle order was blown away inside the first seven overs of the day. The final blow came when Shoaib Bashir cleaned up Mohammed Siraj, the ball trickling onto the leg stump and just dislodging the bail — sealing a nervy, unforgettable 22-run win for England.
On the sixth anniversary of England’s 2019 World Cup triumph, it was once again the Stokes-Archer duo delivering at Lord’s. Archer finished with 3 wickets, while Stokes grabbed two, including the big one of Rahul. Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse contributed key strikes earlier, but the defining phase belonged to Archer’s hostile burst and Stokes’ timely interventions. As England now lead the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series 2-1, it’s fitting that on a day meant to commemorate one legendary Lord’s moment, it was a flashback to another that fired up England’s match-winner.
Also WATCH: ENG vs IND: Mohammed Siraj’s unlucky dismissal sparks wild England celebrations at Lord’s
