Carlos Brathwaite

Brathwaite sink England in the last over with four sixes

 

Carlos Brathwaite
Carlos Brathwaite

World T20, Final: England v West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Apr 3, 2016

England 155/9 (20 /20 ov) JE Root 54 off 36 balls, 7 fours, JC Butler 26 off 22, 1 four and 3 sixes, DJ Willey 21 off 14, 1 four and 2 sixes, S Badree 16-2, DJ Bravo 37/3, CR Brathwaite 23/3.

West Indies 161/6 ( 19.4/20 ov) MN Samuels not out 85 off 66, 9 fours and 2 sixes, DJ Bravo 25 off 27, 1 four, 1 six, CR Brathwaite 34 off 10, 1 four, 4 sixes, DJ Willey 20-3, JE Root 9-2, AU Rashid 23-1.

West Indies won  the 2015/16 World T20 by 4 wickets with 2 balls remaining.

West Indies won the toss and chose to field. West Indies dominated in the first over of the match, England too had their chances and by taking timely wickets throughout the chase gave themselves a  slim chance of claiming their second World T20 title, until the last over.

Carlos Brathwaite facing the last over, West Indies still requiring 19 runs, just before the first ball of the 20th over  Senior batsman Marlon Samuels came down and had pep talk “ whatever happens I am running, just swing for the hills and ensure to get the bat on ball and use every delivery to get the maximum amount of runs”. Ben Stokes bowled the first ball bit down the leg side and  had no choice but to hit for six over fine leg. What followed on the second ball was a huge hit over long-on for six. Before the third ball West Indies still needed seven runs off four balls. The third ball was dispatched over long-off boundary for six. Braithwaite spooned the fourth ball for six over by making good contact over mid-on. And that settled the World T20 championship and  was a great escape from the jaws of defeat as  Marlon Samuels who has masterminded the chase was on 85, but at the other end and it was left to Carlos Brathwaite to stand up be counted.

West Indies are the only team to win the World T20 title twice having also triumphed in Sri Lanka in 2012. But the title win Kolkata was followed by massive row between players and WICB. In weeks before this tournament, the team was stuck in another pay dispute with their board.