Carlos Brathwaite sensationally hit 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, Kolkata last night.
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.
Chasing 156 to win, 27-year-old 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.
Earlier Dwayne Bravo and Brathwaite led a deadly West Indies bowling attack to restrict England to 155 for nine in their 20 overs.
West Indies’ bowlers justified captain Darren Sammy’s decision to field first as Samuel Badree and Andre Russell put England on the backfoot at 25 for three in 4.4 overs.
Opening the attack for the Windies, leg-spinner Badree got Jason Roy bowled out for a second ball duck and also accounted for struggling English skipper Eoin Morgan (5) in his third over.
Joe Root (54), who struck his third half-century of the tournament, and Jos Buttler (36) then came up with a fine re-building act to manage a 61-run fourth wicket partnership.
The duo seemed to be relishing the challenge as Buttler counter-attacked with a flurry of boundaries, being especially severe on left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.
Medium-pacer Brathwaite got Buttler against the run of play when Bravo took a good catch at deep mid-wicket before celebrating with his customary ‘Champions’ dance.
Sammy soon cashed in on Bravo’s catch to bring him on to bowl and the medium-pacer obliged with two wickets in his second over.
England’s batting soon crumbled after Brathwaite got dangerman Root trudging back as a scoop shot turned out to be the in-form batsman’s undoing.
Braithwaite and Bravo shared three wickets apiece to hit England hard.
David Willey’s late cameo of 21 was studded with a boundary and two sixes and gave England’s total some respect.
Sensational end to T20 World Cup
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.
Chasing 156 to win, 27-year-old 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.
Earlier Dwayne Bravo and Brathwaite led a deadly West Indies bowling attack to restrict England to 155 for nine in their 20 overs.
West Indies’ bowlers justified captain Darren Sammy’s decision to field first as Samuel Badree and Andre Russell put England on the backfoot at 25 for three in 4.4 overs.
Opening the attack for the Windies, leg-spinner Badree got Jason Roy bowled out for a second ball duck and also accounted for struggling English skipper Eoin Morgan (5) in his third over.
Joe Root (54), who struck his third half-century of the tournament, and Jos Buttler (36) then came up with a fine re-building act to manage a 61-run fourth wicket partnership.
The duo seemed to be relishing the challenge as Buttler counter-attacked with a flurry of boundaries, being especially severe on left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.
Medium-pacer Brathwaite got Buttler against the run of play when Bravo took a good catch at deep mid-wicket before celebrating with his customary ‘Champions’ dance.
Sammy soon cashed in on Bravo’s catch to bring him on to bowl and the medium-pacer obliged with two wickets in his second over.
England’s batting soon crumbled after Brathwaite got dangerman Root trudging back as a scoop shot turned out to be the in-form batsman’s undoing.
Braithwaite and Bravo shared three wickets apiece to hit England hard.
David Willey’s late cameo of 21 was studded with a boundary and two sixes and gave England’s total some respect.
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