ICC World T20 2016 Final: England vs West Indies- 5 talking points

In a nail-biting final encounter of the ICC World T20 2016, the West Indies edged past England by 4 wickets, courtesy a match-winning 85* by Marlon Samuels, and 4 consecutive sixes in the last over by Carlos Brathwaite.

With 19 needed off the last over, England would have felt that the game was in their pockets. But, Brathwaite had other intentions, as he appeared to have been batting in a completely different world.

In the 20^th over, with 19 to win, he hit four sixes off consecutive deliveries to seal the deal then and there for West Indies and leave Ben Stokes, the culprit of giving away the match, in tears.

Earlier, the West Indies had exhibited an excellent bowling and fielding display with Samuel Badree, Dwayne Bravo, and Brathwaite being the chief wicket-takers with 2,3 and 3 wickets respectively.

While Badree was excellent with the new ball, dismissing Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan inside the powerplay overs, Brathwaite broke the blossoming partnership between Joe Root and Jos Buttler first, and then nipped a David Willey cameo in the bud at the death.

Bravo, on the other hand, got the prized wicket of Stokes and tripled that up with the scalps of Moeen Ali and Liam Plunkett. While 155 looked like a below par total, what transpired in the next innings made sure that it wasn’t a walk in the park for the Caribbeans.

Here are the talking points from the game.

1. England’s nervy start against spin

Badree struck twice inside the powerplay overs to dismiss Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan

To post any kind of a challenge to the marauding West Indian batsmen, England needed to put up an above par total in the final, for which, a good opening stand was quintessential.

However, Samuel Badree, arguably West Indies’ No. 1 new-ball bowler in T20 cricket made sure that the English openers were nipped in the bud before they could flourish.

He dismissed Jason Roy, the half-centurion from the semi-final, off the 2nd ball of the match, and then topped it up by getting the English captain Eoin Morgan caught at slips.

Alex Hales too could not perform in the all-important final and was caught at short fine-leg in the 2nd over of the innings off the bowling of Andre Russell.

2. Root and Buttler resurrect England’s innings

Root and Buttler shared a 61-run 4th wicket partnership to revive the English innings

At 23/3, West Indies definitely looked notches ahead in the game, but Joe Root and Jos Buttler knew that in the shortest format of the game, it doesn’t take long for the momentum to shift.

So they persisted early on, batting cautiously for a couple of overs to finish off the powerplay, and then slowly got into their grooves, scoring freely after the first 6 overs. Buttler took a special liking to Suleiman Benn, who was taken for consecutive sixes in the 11th over.

They shared a vital 61-run partnership for the 4th wicket, before Buttler was dismissed for 36 (22) by Brathwaite, who got the Englishman caught at the deep midwicket boundary by Dwayne Bravo.

From 23 runs in the 5th over to 84 in the 12th, the momentum had shifted considerably and the platform was laid for the likes of Stokes and Ali to capitalize.

3. Bravo and Brathwaite bring WI back

Bravo picked up three wickets in the innings- that of Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett

Just when Root and Buttler looked like taking the game away from West Indies, the Caribbean all-rounders Brathwaite and Bravo brought their side back into the game with three quick wickets.

Buttler, Stokes, Ali, and Root were dismissed in the space of 3 overs, with Brathwaite and Bravo sharing the credits.

While Brathwaite scalped Buttler and Ali, Bravo sent back Stokes, and the in-form, well-settled Root to quash England’s hopes of getting a good total on the board.

Brathwaite then returned in the 18th over to take the wicket of a dangerous-looking David Willey, who had raced away to 21 off 13 with 2 sixes.

Bravo, impressed yet again with his excellent death bowling by sending back Liam Plunkett in the 19th over courtesy an excellent diving catch by Samuel Badree.

It was due to their combined efforts that England were restricted to a measly total of 155/9.

4. Root’s golden arm gets Gayle

Nobody would have thought of Root dismissing Gayle in the 2nd over of the innings

For those who thought that the game was over at the halfway stage were made to re-think not once but twice, when Joe Root, surprisingly introduced into the attack in the 2nd over of the innings sent back Johnson Charles and the most dangerous cog in the Caribbean line-up, Chris Gayle, to change the course of the match immediately.

To better that, David Willey got Lendl Simmons, the hero of the semi-final against India, trapped leg-before to reduce West Indies to 11/3 in the 4th over.

Root, who was perceived to be the weak link of the bowling attack by the West Indian openers turned the tables on them and gave England just the start that they needed.

Credit must also be given to Eoin Morgan, the England captain, for having made the change so early in the innings, knowing very well that the West Indian batsmen would try to go after Root and may perish in the process.

That’s exactly what happened.

5. Marlon-Brathwaite masterclass wins WI the title

Some unbelievable striking by Brathwaite led West Indies to their second World T20 title

After the early hiccup, Samuels and Bravo brought some stability to the West Indian innings with an 85-run stand for the 4th wicket.

However, England made a dramatic comeback thereafter, picking up three West Indian wickets- that of Bravo, Russell and Sammy- to take England to the brink of a probable victory.

With 70 needed off their last 6, anybody would have favoured England to win the match. But it wasn’t to be. Marlon Samuels, who had endured criticism from all corners regarding his batting and other issues, showed that he was a true match-winner by smashing 18 runs off Plunkett.

While Russell and Sammy departed in the 15th over bowled by Willey, Samuels kept his cool, and through some crucial boundaries brought the equation down to 19 off the last over.

Even at this stage, England were the favourites, but what happened off the next four balls, ripped the hearts out of English souls, as Carlos Brathwaite smashed four sixes on the trot off the last four balls bowled by Ben Stokes to take WI to an emphatic victory.

Samuels finished on 85 off 66 with 9 fours and 2 sixes, while Brathwaite remained unbeaten on 34 off just 10 balls with 4 sixes and a four.