West Indies won over England by 4 wickets, last night and finally took over the WT20 cup to home.
Marlon Samuels (85 n.o., 66b, 9x4, 2x6) anchored the chase and Carlos Brathwaite (34 n.o.) mocked 19 runs required from the last over. The burly Brathwaite’s riposte - 6,6,6 and 6 - stunned England and forced a hapless Ben Stokes on to his haunches.
Chasing England’s 155 for 9, West Indies scored 161 for 6 in 19.4 overs. After 2012, this is the second time, West Indies scored the ICC World Twenty20 title and is the only squad who achieved it twice.
In the initial balls, West Indies had to face tough time. At 11 for three, the West Indies suffered the batting horrors.
However, Samuels proved to be the bulwark, and also survived a scare on 27, being adjudged caught behind off Liam Plunkett, before the cameras pointed out a bump-catch by Jos Buttler.
West Indies was 54 for three in 10 overs at its half way mark and staring at a required rate of 10.
Dwayne Bravo, Samuel’s partner, largely sedate, suddenly exploded with a 6 off spinner Adil Rashid, but miscued and retreated in trying for an encore.
For the 4th wicket, Samuels and Bravo added 75 runs off 69 balls, thus offering hope before the West Indies stumbled again. Samuels, with 2 stunning sixes off Plunkett, continued roaring.
West Indies skipper, Sammy elected to field and found vindication within first 2 overs, as his counterpart Morgan, had to hurriedly stride in at number 4.
At eight for two, England needed a boost from its leader. With Root being fluent, as evident from fours through covers and past mid-on, Morgan had to
bide his time.
He whetted his appetite with a lofted four off left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn, but his tentative approach against Badree proved fatal. Gayle caught at first slip and England slumped to 23 for 3 in 4.4 overs. If the world was crumbling around him, Root did not reflect any angst.
He rocked back or pressed forward to punch or drive and along with Buttler, strung a 61-run fourth-wicket partnership off 40 deliveries.
Just as Root batted without fuss, Buttler bruised Benn with 3 massive sixes. The rest of the England line-up, could not inspire much and credit is also due to the fielding skills of Sammy’s men as diving catches perhaps meant that Morgan and company suffered a poor appetite at the interval. That fear continued till the end of the match.
By Phani Ch
