Kolkata: West Indies on Sunday created history by becoming the first nation to win the ICC World T20 twice with a dramatic four wicket victory over England riding on Carlos Brathwaite four consecutive lusty sixes in the final over of the innings.
Chasing a tricky target of 156, it was Marlon Samuels, who did an encore of the 2012 final that Darren Sammy’s men had won, hitting a magnificent 85 not out off 66 balls with nine boundaries and two huge sixes.
However it was the unheralded giant Brathwaite, who showed why he commanded such a record IPL price from Delhi Daredvils scoring 34 off only 10 balls as he hit the four most important maximums of his short cricketing career.
With 19 runs needed off the final over, Brathwaite hit the first ball behind square for a six and the next was hit over long-on for a six and the third over long-off to basically bring down the equation 1 off 3 balls before finishing off with another hit over deep mid-wicket.
The entire stadium save a few English fans erupted in joy as the West Indies team members rushed to the field to congratulate the heroes.
It was one of the most beautiful sights as the women’s team also joined their men as the danced to the now popular Bravo rap of ‘Champion’ in unison. They took a ‘lap of Honour from an Eden Gardens that gave them a standing ovation.
The West Indies despite all their problems are now World Champions in U-19, women’s and men’s World T20.
For England’s bowling unit, the hero certainly would left-arm seamer David Willey, who had phenomenal figures of 3/20 in 4 overs with an astounding 13 dot balls as he increased pressure on the Caribbean batsmen before Stokes frittered it away.
Eoin Morgan took a calculative risk introducing part-time off-spinner Root in the second over and it turned out to be a masterstroke. Root snuffed out Chris Gayle (4) and Johnson Charles (0), both trying to hit a six and caught by Ben Stokes in the deep.
It was Morgan’s ability to play on Gayle’s mind that proved to be key. Gayle may thought about Moeen Ali and it was Root, who did flight the ball.
From 5/2 it became 11/3 as last game’s ‘Man of The Match’ Lendl Simmons (0) was caught plumb in-front as Willey got one to shape back.
In the final over of the Powerplay, Marlon Samuels (27) spanked three boundaries off Chris Jordan to take the score to 37. He had a close shave when he edged one off Liam Plunkett to Jos Buttler which Rod Tucker had given out. But replays showed that the England wicketkeeper did not take the catch cleanly and the batsman got a reprieve.
However England bowlers maintained tight lines West Indies reached 54 for 3 in 10 overs needing 102 from remaining 10 overs. (PTI)
score board
England innings
JJ Roy b Badree 0
AD Hales c Badree b Russell 1
JE Root c Benn b Brathwaite 54
EJG Morgan* c Gayle b Badree 5
JC Buttler† c Bravo b Brathwaite 36
BA Stokes c Simmons b Bravo 13
MM Ali c †Ramdin b Bravo 0
CJ Jordan not out 12
DJ Willey c Charles b Brathwaite 21
LE Plunkett c Badree b Bravo 4
AU Rashid not out 4
Extras 5
Total 155/9
West Indies innings
J Charles c Stokes b Root 1
CH Gayle c Stokes b Root 4
MN Samuels not out 85
LMP Simmons lbw b Willey 0
DJ Bravo c Root b Rashid 25
AD Russell c Stokes b Willey 1
DJG Sammy* c Hales b Willey 2
CR Brathwaite not out 34
Extras 9
Total 161/6
agency
Kolkata: In a historic first, the West Indies women’s cricket team ended three-time defending champions Australia’s domination by winning the ICC World T20 title with an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the final here today.
The foundation of the successful chase was laid by a 120-run partnership by openers Hayley Matthews (66 off 45) and skipper Stafanie Taylor (59 off 57), who helped the team chase a stiff target of 149.
The moment the West Indies reached the target courtesy an overthrow, the entire dugout jumped in joy as the team joined the two not out batswomen, Britney Cooper and Deandra Dottin, in the middle.
What made the celebrations more special was the men’s team, led by captain Darren Sammy, bowling coach Curtley Ambrose and all-rounder Andre Russell joined everyone in congratulating the girls.
The girls, as promised to Dwayne Bravo, danced to the beats of the all-rounder’s latest rap compilation ‘Champion’.
It was also the West Indies’ first win over Australia in nine T20 Internationals.
Hayley was the star of their chase with a career-best innings, while Stafanie continued her sublime form with a solid knock.
After Hayley holed out at the midwicket in the 16th over, the West Indies needed 29 from 26 balls and the equation went down to 14 from the last 2 overs but the experienced Dottin made sure the team got home comfortably.
With three needed from the last over, Dottin took a single to give the strike to Cooper who ran a quick single and Aussies narrowly missed the stump as they complete the winning run from the overthrow.
Captain Meg Lanning (52) and opener Elyse Villani (52) scored brisk half-centuries before the West Indies fought back at the end to restrict three-time defending champions Australia to 148 for five.
Villani set up the tempo with her 37-ball innings and shared a 77-run partnership off 60 balls with Lanning, who continued her good run with second successive fifty.
The West Indies medium pacer Dottin bowled a superb last over with three dot balls and removed Ellyse Perry (28 off 23) and Erin Osborne (0) in successive deliveries to restrict the Southern Stars to an under 150 total.
Ellyse was looking dangerous with two huge sixes but Dottin ensured that the Australia did not do much damage in the last over as they could muster only 36 runs from the last five overs, which proved to be the difference.
From being nine for no loss in the first three overs, the West Indies were quiet at the start with Hayley looking dormant with two runs from eight balls.
In the next over, Hayley stepped on the gas taking charge on Rene Farrell with two boundaries and in the next over she smacked Schutt over midwicket for a huge six.
But the massive turnaround came in the last over of Powerplay when Stafanie too joined in the act with two boundaries after Hayely’s step-out six as they raced to 45 for no loss.
The duo looked total control in their innings punishing only the loose deliveries as West Indies looked thoroughly professional in their chase. (PTI)
score board
Australia Women innings
AJ Healy† c & b Matthews 4
EJ Villani c Taylor b Dottin 52
MM Lanning* lbw b Mohammed 52
EA Perry lbw b Dottin 28
AJ Blackwell not out 3
EA Osborne run out (King/Dottin) 0
JL Jonassen not out 0
Extras 9
Total 148/5
West Indies Women innings
HK Matthews c Blackwell b Beams 66
SR Taylor* c Jonassen b Farrell 59
DJS Dottin not out 18
B Cooper not out 3
Extras 3
Total 149/2