Until the dying stages of what is by now thought of as the greatest one-day game in cricket history, the possibility of being unable to split the teams after 100 overs seemed too distant to take seriously. Commentator Michael Atherton even made a joke about how unlikely it was after being relaid the information by a producer.

[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]

And Stokes, England’s hero and the Player of the Match in the final, only asked umpire Marais Erasmus what would happen if the game were tied before the final ball of England’s innings, as No.11 Mark Wood was walking to the crease.

Watching the closing moments again on the Sky Easter Watchalong, Sky Sports Cricket pundit Rob Key assumed Stokes knew about the eventuality.

“You know about the super over obviously?” he asked. “No,” came the answer.

[breakout id=”1″][/breakout]

“At this stage you don’t know if there’s a super over?” a disbelieving Key asked again.

“I asked him before the last ball,” replied Stokes. “I had to go to Marais and ask, ‘What happens here?’”

[breakout id=”2″][/breakout]

The information affected Stokes’ approach to the last ball, delivered by Trent Boult. Ordinarily, a shin-high full toss might be considered a ball he could hit anywhere. But, with a group-stage defeat by Bangladesh against India in his mind, Stokes made sure to at least not lose the game, rather than try and win it with a single big hit, achieving a single with a bunt down to long-on.

As with virtually every decision Stokes made that summer, it was the right one.