West Indies men, women team celebrate World T20 win
It proved to be a golden day for the Caribbean cricket -- otherwise dogged by payment problems and tiffs between the players and the cricket board -- as their men and women teams emerged as champions at the T20 World Cup.
On Sunday, Windies women's team defeated Australia by eight-wicket at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, which was followed by senior men's team stunning four-wicket win over England.
What made the mood of the celebrations more special and thrilling was the men's team, led by captain Darren Sammy, bowling coach Curtly Ambrose and all-rounder Andre Russell who ran in and joined everyone to congratulate the girls for their memorable victory.
Seemingly looking in tatters at 11/3 inside the third over, the Caribbeans recovered with a 75-run fourth wicket partnership between man of the match Marlon Samuels (85 not out; 66b, 9x4 and 2x6) and Dwayne Bravo (25).
Samuels then teamed up with Brathwaite (34 not out, 10 balls, 1x4, 4x6) to author an unfinished 54-run partnership that saw the team to victory, less than two months after the West Indies boys won the under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, to make 2016 a memorable year in the annals of Caribbean cricket.
Needing 19 from the last over bowled by Ben Stokes, Brathwaite disdainfully despatched the first ball over the deep backward square leg fence, the second flew over long on and the third landed into the gallery over long off.
With the hapless Stokes seeming completely clueless, the fourth delivery found its address in the deep mid wicket stands, as the bowler went down on his knees in shock while the Caribbean players rushed into the ground, hugged Brathwaite and man of the match Samuels and began an impromptu Calypso jig.
Soon, the victorious women players also joined in, and there followed a grand mid pitch celebrations of free-flowing song and dance, and finally a lap of honour to a tumultuous ovation from the spectators, who had their money's worth.
This is the second World T20 title for West Indies, who had previously won it in 2012.
Set an asking rate of 7.8, West Indies had a nightmarish start.
The match began with England put into bat, and they stuttered at 23/3, before Joe Root (54 off 36 balls, 7x4) and Jos Buttler (36 off 22, 1x4, 3x6) resurrected the innings with a fourth wicket partnership of 61 runs.
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