Deep down, I always knew we would win the World Cup, reveals Liam Plunkett

England were crowned World Champions for the very first time in the tournament's history as they edged out 2015 runner-ups New Zealand by the narrowest of margins at Lord’s a couple of weeks ago. It was truly a moving sight as the 2019 World Champions displayed all kinds of emotions on the green after they were knocked out in the group stage at the last edition of the quadrennial showpiece. England all-rounder Liam Plunkett was in his feelings while talking about their triumphant achievement when he revealed that deep inside, he knew his team would lay their hands on silverware.

"The whole World Cup, I was sleeping four hours a night, I couldn't sleep at all, I was on edge. I never felt tired during the games, I was just excited. Wanted to do well, probably the last World Cup you play in 50-overs competition, what you've built up for the last four years as a group. You're ranked No. 1, you know you have the potential to win the World Cup, but after a couple of defeats, it's now or never.

"Deep down inside, I don't believe it's written in the stars and stuff, but I had a feeling we could win it. And I still believed that when Jof got hit for six in the last over, still thought he'd run up and bowl wide yorker, wide yorker and game won. Because he's a cool cat under pressure. It's starting to sink in now," Plunkett said in an interview to ESPNCricinfo.

Plunkett, who played a total of 89 ODIs for England and 4000+ runs and taken 135 wickets, added that England skipper Eoin Morgan had urged him to keep pushing during a tough time in his career. 

"I think at one point, in a T20 series, I thought I'd never play white-ball again. I said, 'listen, I'm not sure I'll play, I may as well just retire', and Morgs was like, 'Mate, I'd hold on a bit. Just chill out.' I actually played a week later, it was a T20 series when we beat Pakistan in Dubai, and it came out really nicely, I bowled 90 clicks and got three-for and all of a sudden I'm back in.

"I didn't get picked for the South Africa series and they said, you need to go and work on some skills. So I went away and worked on my cross-seam deliveries, wobble seam, my cutters, and stuff. Even if I felt, I can't bowl as quick as I used to, I still have the deliveries to take wickets and change games. And with the experience you work batsmen out," Plunkett added.