Courtesy England’s thumping eight-wicket win versus Australia in the second semi-final at Edgbaston on Thursday, the World Cup will be having a new champion after 23 years.

After New Zealand shocked India with an 18-run win on Wednesday, England hammered 2015 winners Australia by eight wickets with as many as 107 balls remaining.

Both New Zealand and England have reached the Cup final in the past, but have never gone on to win the crown. So, irrespective of who wins in the decider, history will be made at Lord’s come Sunday.

Lauding England for the “dramatic improvement” they have made in ODI cricket since the disastrous 2015 Cup, captain Eoin Morgan emphasised that making good use of the wicket and putting Australia under pressure right from the onset set the tone for his team.

“It is very important to take confidence from the group stages into the semi-finals. We talked about wanting to get better from game to game and we wanted to set the tone from ball one, which we did and made Australia pay,” the England skipper said at the post-match presentation.

Such was England’s confidence that they would have taken even Virat Kohli and Co. head-on in spite of the boisterous Indian fans outnumbering the hosts’ supporters.

“Edgbaston has always been great for us. Having beaten India on this ground, we would have come in with similar confidence had we faced the Indians here again,” Morgan said.

Morgan lavished praise for Player of the Match Chris Woakes, who jolted Australia early by removing David Warner and Peter Handscomb within the first seven overs after Jofra Archer trapped rival captain Aaron Finch plumb in front off his first ball.

Woakes eventually finished with figures of 3/20 from his eight overs.

“Extremely happy for Woakes… He is a cool customer and has been one of the best bowlers for us in the last couple of years.

“He goes about his business day in and day out exceptionally. His and Jofra’s were probably the standout performances for us in the last four years, given how they bowled in today’s first spell.

“The guys coming after that really backed them up well,” Morgan analysed.

He didn’t forget to mention the “imposing” opening duo of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow. “Roy and Jonny at the top of the order are really imposing when they get themselves in. They are in the form of their lives and they take advantage of that. They set the tone for us.”

Morgan doesn’t remember much of 1992 when England lost in the final to Pakistan at the MCG. But this England side is ready to cash in on the opportunity at Lord’s on Sunday, Morgan said.

“I was only six in 1992, so I don’t remember it well. But I have seen a lot of it in the highlights. It is an opportunity for us on Sunday, a huge one too.”