England vs West Indies, T20 World Cup 2016, Final at Kolkata: West Indies’ likely XI

West Indies cricket is having a dream run reaching the finals of three ICC World Cup events in last three months. It seems like the age of West Indies and their dominance in limited overs is going to happen once again. They are a force to reckon with in limited overs thanks to their hard-hitting abilities, excellent ground fielding and a decent bowling attack. They got a wake up call from minnows Afghanistan in their last league match. Afghanistan created history in that fixture, registering their first ever win in the World Cup events. After that they emerged as a complete team with a touch of luck by their side in the semi-final against India. Live Cricket Score: England vs West Indies, T20 World Cup 2016, Final at Kolkata

They have a decent amount of all-rounders in the team making them a really deep batting unit showcasing in recent times that they are more than just a one-man army. They do not depend on a single player to perform in order to win. They have the perfect mix clicking in every department of the game. Barring one game, they have barely done anything wrong in this tournament and any change in the side is highly unlikely.

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Top Order: A lot of expectations were there from the man in form Chris Gayle in the semi-final but he failed to live up to it as he got knocked over by Jasprit Bumrah’s low full toss. Despite that he is a big game player and can take away the game from opposition on his better days. He scored a ballistic century against England in the Super 10 match. That might kick his confidence up a notch ahead of the final. Johnson Charles showed what he is capable of in the semi-final against India scoring a crucial half century after losing two wickets inside powerplay overs. Marlon Samuels failed to perform but he provides the stability their batting order needs in tough situation trying to settle and then attack bowlers and not just hitting them right away. He has experience and it will be tested against England in the final.

Middle Order: The Caribbean middle order has all the firepower they need to bring down any bowling attack in front of them. Introduction of Lendl Simmons to the side is an X-factor for them witnessing his innings against India. He has good experience of the pitch having played in IPL and is expected to deliver in the final. Dwayne Bravo’s experience and his precision to keep the scoreboard ticking is what West Indies need as they tend to get restless and throw away wickets when boundaries are not coming. Andre Russell has emerged as a complete all-rounder for them scoring runs at a brisk rate. Denesh Ramdin has been a weak link in the side when it comes to batting. There is a chance he will be sent down the order in favour of Darren Sammy or Carlos Brathwaite. Though, he might come in handy when spinners are bowling in an attempt to keep wickets intact. They will be facing England fast bowlers who failed to have any impact on West Indies. Absence of a quality spinner from the England side is a good sign for West Indies.

Lower Order and Bowling: West Indies bat deep, really deep which might give them an edge over England in the final. Darren Sammy, Carlos Brathwaite and even Samuel Badree are capable of hitting the ball out of the park with ease. The skipper is a regular in IPL and knows the conditions well but he has failed to live upto expectations in the tournament. Brathwaite is in good touch lately getting the team out of crunch situations and winning the game against Sri Lanka and South Africa. He might be promoted ahead of Sammy if the situation demands.

Their bowling has been exquisite in the tournament. They have picked up wickets in the powerplay and in middle overs to put the opposition on the back foot except India in the semis. They have been able to read the pitch well and bowl accordingly. They have a lot of options in the bag for bowling seeing the number of all-rounders available in the team. Samuel Badree has been economical and able to pick wickets and break partnerships. He is a go to bowler for the Caribbeans along with Dwayne Bravo deceiving the batsman with his change of pace. Sulieman Benn will also pose problems for England extracting pace and bounce off the pitch.

West Indies’ likely XI (in batting order): Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles,  Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Denesh Ramdin(wk), Darren Sammy(c), Carlos Brathwaite, Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn

(Arun Rawal, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a daydreamer, movie buff, and cricket fanatic. He could not play cricket, so did the next best thing, writing for it. He loves to play the flick shot over square leg, and believes Sachin Tendulkar is God. His twitter handle is @ArunRawal93)