World T20: Braithwaite Cameo Help West Indies Crowned Champions

The win helped West Indies notch a historic double as the women overwhelmed Australia by 8  wickets in a thrilling final over.

The Carribeans were in trouble but it was Marlon Samuels, the man of the match in their 2012 win against Sri Lanka, who kept them in the hunt with his cool headed 85 not out form 66 balls (9×4, 2×6).

England had their moments after Chris Jordan bowled a superb penultimate over conceding just eight runs as he did well to recover after being hit for a boundary off first ball.

With 19 needed from last over, the Windies could only win the way they are known for and Carlos Brathwaite lived up to the challenge smacking four back to back sixes against Ben Stokes who was wayward with his bowling as they won with two balls to spare.

Taking last month’s U-19 ODI World Cup triumph into count, the troubled West Indies, who were mired in a contract row putting their WT20 participation in jeopardy, sent out a strong message by clinching a hattrick in 2016.

Darren Sammy who had led to their 2012 title also equalled the great Clive Lloyd’s World Cup winning feat of 1975 and 1979 by winning two titles each.

Known for their celebration, the players enjoyed the moment as the men’s and women’s team danced in the 22 yards strip and the 49,818 crowd too reciprocated with fireworks lighting the sky up.

England had a sensational start reducing West Indies to 11/3 in the third over after Morgan pulled a rabbit out of hat by bringing Root up front and the parttimer staged a coup dismissing Johnson Charles (1) and Chris Gayle (4) in three deliveries.

Samuels steadied the ship with his fighting halfcentulry after getting a reprieve on 27 and he had almost left the field only to be called back after reviews showed that wicketkeeper Buttler’s had grounded the low catch.

In Dwayne Bravo (25 from 27 balls; 1×4, 1×6), Samuels found a fine ally as the duo kept West Indies campaign on track in their 75 run partnership from 11.3 overs but England too remained in line with regular breakthroughs.

Going for the kill, Charles skied a catch to Stokes at midwicket before dangerman Gayle holed out by the same fielder with the ball going high up in the air giving the Englishman enough time to complete a fine catch.

There was more trouble in store for the Windies with English strike bowler David Willey trapping Lendl Simmons plumb in the next over.

Nothing went wrong for the West Indies at the Eden Gardens as they restricted England to a modest 155/9 in the summit clash.

Moments after they celebrated their Women’s team maiden triumph in WT20, Darren Sammy won a 10th consecutive the toss and brought the atmosphere alive rattling England to 23/3 in fifth over with Samuel Badree completing a fine 2/16 including a maiden.

After catching Jason Roy off guard with a straigher one, the legspinner went through the his gate and it was Windies dancing all over and the Eden crowd too reciprocoated with the iconic stadium hosting a World Cup final after 29 long years.

 Brilliant batting by Joe Root helped England set a target of 156 runs for West Indies to lift the World T20 at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Root , who had an outstanding tournament scored 54 runs off 36 balls with seven hits to the fence.

England was in deep trouble with 23/3. Roy, Halex and Morgan were all back in the pavilion inside the first five overs. But a great counter attack from Root along with Butler who put on 61 runs for the 4^th wicket saw England crawl back into the match. Butler scored a quick fire 36 off only 22 balls with 3 hits to the stands. England managed to score 155/9 after 20 overs thereby setting West Indies a target of 156 runs to win the final.

West Indies drew first blood in the big final at Eden Gardens as leg spinner Samuel Badree bowled Jason Roy for a duck in the first over. Soon to follow was Jason Roy was Hales who was caught by Badree off the bowling of Russell in the next over. England was struggling at 8/2 after the first two overs.

Joe Root got his first boundary hitting Badree for a back foot cover drive. He scored his second boundary with another copy book back foot cover drive off Benn. England skipper Eoin Morgan got into the act as he chipped Benn over the infield to get his first boundary. Root got his third boundary flicking Benn off his legs. England was 23/2 after 4 overs.

England was in deep trouble as captain Eoin Morgan was also back in the pavilion after scoring just 5 runs. The left hander was caught by Gayle at slips off Badree. The score was 23/3 in 4.4 overs.

Butler who came into bat next cut Bravo for his first boundary. England after power play was 33/3. Root on the other end continued to play some exquisite shots as he flicked Badree for another boundary. England was 42/3 after 7 overs. Badree was bowled his full quota by Sammy. His figures read 4-1-16-2.

Butler went from strength to strength as he scored the first six of the match hitting Benn flat into the stands.  England reached their fifty in 8.4 overs. Root pulled a short stuff from Russell for another boundary. England at half way stage was 67/3

Butler came down the ground to hit a huge straight six off Benn. That also brought up the fifty partnership between the two.  He followed it with another hit over the covers for another six. England was 83/3 after 11 overs.

West Indies got a huge breakthrough with Butler being caught at deep mid wicket by Bravo off Braithwaite . He scored 36 off 22 balls with one four and three sixes. England was 84/4. Both put on 61 runs off 40 balls for the 4^th wicket. England was 89/4 after 12 overs.

The Windies captain came in to bowl his third over of the tournament. Root cut Sammy through point to bring up another hit to the fence. He completed his half century off 33 balls.It was also the fastest fifty of the tournament.  England was 103/4 after 13 overs.

Root cut Bravo for his seventh boundary. But Bravo made a good comeback as he saw the back of Stokes caught by Simmons for 13 runs with England on 110/5 in 13.4 overs. Bravo got a double breakthrough for West Indies as he also got Moeen Ali caught by Simmons with the score at 110/6 after 14 overs.

England were dealt a big blow in the first ball of the 15^th over as Root was caught by Benn off the bowling of Braithwaite. Root scored a brilliant innings of 54 runs off 36 balls with seven hits to the fence.England was 115/7 after 15 overs.

Willey whacked Bravo for two huge sixes in the same over. England was 131/7 after 17 overs.The left hander followed it up with a thunderous straight hit to the fence. But he followed immediately trying to hit Braithwaite for another boundary only to find himself caught by Johnson Charles at the boundary. He scored a quickfire 21 off 14 balls with the score at 136/8 after 17.3 overs. England was 131 for 8 after 18 overs.

Badree injured his wrist while taking a brilliant catch at point to see the back of Liam Plunkett for 4 runs. England was 142/9 after 18.3 overs. Chris Jordan brought up the 150 for England with a leg side four off Russell. England ended up scoring 155 runs after losing 9 wickets.

Earlier West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to bowl first at Eden Gardens. Both teams went in with the same side that played the semi finals.