2016 Men’s T20 World Cup. Famously known for Carlos Brathwaite’s 4 Sixes. But before that happened, it was already a great tournament. And that both 2010 and 2012 champions were playing in the final meant we would see the first team to lift two T20 World Cup titles.
England have always been my second team after Pakistan, and I was looking forward to this great game. England’s only loss was against the West Indies in their opening game, while the West Indies had only lost against Afghanistan. Both were looking in hot form.
What makes this final even more special is that neither New Zealand nor India made it. New Zealand upset the hosts, India, in the opening game of the Super 10s and remained unbeaten throughout the group stage. While India recovered and defied all odds to make it into the knockouts, they were expected to play the final. Both teams fell short in the semi-finals. It was a game to look forward to between England and the West Indies.
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Carlos Brathwaite’s 4 Sixes – The Match
West Indies won the toss and bowled first. They opened with Samuel Badree, and the second ball, BOWLED! Jason Roy missed, and the ball slid through Roy’s defence. The next over, Alex Hales flicks one off Andre Russell, only to get caught by Badree at short fine leg. 2 down. And to make matters worse, Eoin Morgan was caught at slips off Badree. West Indies were off to a dream start.
23-3 after 5 overs, Joe Root and Jos Buttler rebuild England. A 64-run stand was built between these two. It got better for both them and the run rate. They were targeting 165+ as they progressed through the innings. But that was where Carlos Brathwaite got Buttler to break the stand. And the collapse happened. DJ Bravo got Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali before Brathwaite got Root, who scored 54.
111-7, it didn’t seem that they’d score 130. That was until David Wiley led some resistance with his 21, and handy runs down the order led them to only 155-9, which they probably were 15 runs short.
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England began well. Joe Root, who bowled the second over, got big wickets of Gayle and Johnson Charles. It was a master stroke from the English skipper, Morgan. Then the very next over, Wiley got Lendl Simmons. 11-3, and all was going well for England.
By the end of the 10th over, West Indies were 54-3, still needing 102 runs at around 10 an over. It was so far so good. Then it got better when Adil Rashid removed DJ Bravo. 86-4, still 70 needed from 6 overs. Samuels reached 50, then took 18 runs of Plunkette. He was ready to move on. But Wiley happened again, as he took a couple of wickets of Russell and Daren Sammy. He later ended his spell with 3-20 in 4 overs.
Carlos Brathwaite’s 4 Sixes – The moment of brilliance
Then it all came down to the final over, 19 needed off 6 balls. It was the defining moment of the match, with England seemingly ahead. Stokes bowled the final over to Brathwaite. He only conceded 17 in two overs. It was between him, Root, or Moeen Ali who did not bowl in that match.
Ben steamed in, first ball on to the left side;
SIX!
Goes over the deep square leg. 13 off 5, Ben again steamed in, bowls a full delivery;
SIX!
Went way over long on, it was a disaster already. 7 needed from 4, and the West Indies were clear favourites then. Third ball, Ben bowls;
SIX!
I couldn’t believe what was happening at that moment. This went over long off. 1 was needed from 3 balls. Just 1 run. It was already over for England. Ben just bowled.
SIX!
“Carlos Brathwaite, remember the name!” said Ian Bishop on commentary. West Indies became the champions for the second time. England couldn’t believe what happened. I had no idea what happened. Ben was down on his knees and hands on his face while the West Indies boys celebrated. Samuels ended with an unbeaten 85 and won his second Player of the Match award in the T20WC finals as he replicated his brilliance that he did in 2012.
As an English fan, I was disappointed that day. But it was one game that will forever be remembered. And an important one for the Maroon Team. As Daren Sammy said in the post-match presentation;
“People were wondering if we would play this tournament; we had issues with the board, and Mark Nicholas called us players with no brains. But all of us came together, these 15 men put adversity aside, and played this type of cricket in front of such passionate fans. We had a new manager in this tournament. Got to give credit to the entire team here. I don’t know when I’m going to be playing for West Indies again, but I want to thank my team, thank my coaching staff.”
West Indies’ preparations for the tournament were overshadowed by a wage dispute with their board, which prompted them to send a second-string side to India. And it was indeed the last time Sammy represented his side. He ended as the only captain to win two T20 World Cup titles.
In addition, the West Indies women won their maiden Women’s T20 title, and so did the West Indies U-19 boys, who won their maiden U-19 World Cup. It was truly the “year of the West Indies.”
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