West Indies are the only team to have won the T20 World Cup twice, with their second title coming in unbelievable fashion exactly four years ago today. On April 3, 2016, Carlos Brathwaite produced the most amazing, unthinkable and incredible batting performance as he hit allrounder Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes at Eden Gardens. West Indies grabbed their second World T20 title in three editions and completed a delightful double with the women’s team securing a title win as well.
Set 156 to win, West Indies were left needing 19 off the last over. Up until then, the ball was in England’s court, with captain Eoin Morgan handling the ball over to Ben Stokes, without realising it would be the night where the England allrounder’s worst nightmare would come true. Brathwaite swung his bat with full force first four balls of the over and cleared the ropes on each occasion. Four sixes off four balls and West Indies had secured an unforgettable, emphatic win with two balls to spare.
In Brathwaite’s euphoria, let’s not forget Marlon Samuels‘ knock, perhaps the innings of his life to stay unbeaten on 85 as the rest of the batsmen around him stumbled. West Indies were 5/2 in their chase with Chris Gayle and Johnson Charles falling in the second over and hero of the semifinal, Lendl Simmons, dismissed for a golden duck. Dwayne Bravo, with a six and four each hanging around for 27 balls was the only other significant contribution. Amid the collapse that triggered at the other end, Samuels held up his and scored nine boundaries to take the match into the final over.
And that is where Brathwaite ensured everyone “remembered his name”. Stokes began with a fuller delivery down leg, with Brathwaite gleefully sent soaring over deep backward square. The second delivery was a length ball, which Brathwaite clubbed over long-on. Off the third, Brathwaite cleared his left leg as the ball sailed over long-off. With every stinging blow, Stokes slumped further into the ground. Even with one needed off three, Brathwaite took no half-measures and smoked the fourth ball of the over, over deep midwicket to send West Indies into jubilation.
This was a West Indies team, which months before heading into the tournament was involved in another pay dispute with the board. But on that night, nothing else mattered. West Indies have always been a team about swagger, and the defining image of Samuels addressing the press conference with his pads on and legs resting against the table was an example of just that.
It was a momentous feat for Darren Sammy too as he was the captain in West Indies’ win in Sri Lanka four years ago.