'Didn't Sourav Ganguly wave his shirt today?': Jofra Archer to Ben Stokes after England crush India's heart at Lord's

Six years apart, England's World Cup duo - Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer - helped the side secure a thrilling 22-run win at the Lord's

On Monday morning, Ben Stokes had a feeling that "Jofra Archer was going to do something this morning to break the game open." On the sixth anniversary of England's 2019 World Cup win, at the very same venue - Lord's Cricket Ground - Stokes knew there was only one man who should start the final day of the third Test match with England eyeing the remaining six wickets and with India needing 135 runs to chase.

Jofra Archer’s history gaffe stunned Ben Stokes before Lord's showdown

At the end of a six-over morning spell, Archer, who had bowled that famous Super Over against New Zealand to help England clinch their maiden World Cup title, dismissed Rishabh Pant, before getting rid of Washington Sundar.

Between the two dismissals, Stokes, who had famously dragged England to that Super Over in 2019, got the better of a well-set KL Rahul as the World Cup-winning duo exposed India's tail within the first seven overs of the day. He later returned to dismiss Jasprit Bumrah and end what was a frustrating partnership between India No. 10 and Ravindra Jadeja. Eventually, a stroke of sheer luck saw the hosts take the final wicket after the delivery from Shoaib Bashir trickled agonisingly onto Mohammed Siraj's leg stump.

Six years apart, England's World Cup duo helped the side secure a thrilling 22-run win at the Lord's and thus take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. But unlike Stokes, Archer had no idea it was the anniversary of England's World Cup win on Monday.

"You know what day today is, don't you?" Stokes had asked Archer before the start of Day 5 in London, hoping to stir the 30-year-old. But the fast bowler thought it was the day India had defeated England in the 2002 NatWest series final, which was followed by then-visiting-captain Sourav Ganguly windmilling his shirt over his head in the Lord's balcony.

"You know that highlight package of India knocking off 300-odd back in the day with Ganguly?" Stokes later told reporters in the post-match conference on Monday. "He thought that was a World Cup final. He thought that was six years ago today. Absolute beauty, that boy."

When Stokes cleared the confusion, Archer responded, "Oh, that one".