Brathwaite takes breath away

07 Apr, 2016

This apropos "WI lift World Twenty20 title:
Brathwaite takes England breath away" carried by Business Recorder on Monday. You don't hit four consecutive sixes in the final over of match during the run chase. But Carlos Brathwaite created history by sensationally hitting four successive sixes off Ben Stokes in the last over as the West Indies stunned England by four wickets to win the World Twenty20 title at Eden Gardens on Sunday. They won with just two balls to spare having needed 19 off the last over as they became the first team to lift the trophy twice.
It was indeed a highly mesmerising show. Chasing 156 to win, Brathwaite became the first player to hit four sixes off four balls as he made an undefeated 34 off 10 balls after taking 3-23 in the England innings.
That West Indies are no longer the one-man band is a fact that found its best expression in the West Indies-India semi-final of this tournament. The world came across the most profound expression of this fact in the final of this tournament. The role of Chris Gayle, the big man of this side, has been completely overshadowed by many other players of West Indies.
West Indies' victory brings to one's mind the successes achieved by it in the early editions of the one-day cricket World Cup. That they were unbeatable for quite some time is a fact. The occasion has thrown up an opportunity for West Indian Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards, Michael Holding and others and yesteryears to derive a special pleasure from the victory that their somewhat beleaguered side has achieved at Kolkata's Eden Gardens last Friday. This victory will surely help the West Indies cricket board to woo more talent for the team.

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