DHAKA: West Indies men and women teams won the ICC T20 World Cup 2016 prevailing over England and Australia respectively in the final matches at historic Eden Gardens on April 4.

While the win of West Indian Women against Australian eves was comprehensive, West Indies men team win was a fairy tale. The tensions and excitement of Carlos Brathwaite executing 6, 6, 6 & 6 in the first four balls of the very last over of the match requiring 19 for the win will be discussed for a long time. Such a cricket match rarely happens and when it happens makes it a dream occasion.

It was amazing, it was wonderful. West Indies Cricket is looking great in 2016. The under-19 world Cup was won by West Indies earlier in February in Dhaka. Now the wins in Eden Gardens make it three in three. Caribbean super athletes, who entertain the cricket world with their brand of aggressive cricket all the time, won every tournament deservedly.

West Indies played wonderful brand of aggressive cricket all the way. They were among the favorites all right. But India, Australia, South Africa and in-form New Zealand were also considered favorites. The group which had India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and qualifier Bangladesh was termed as the group of death. Even the group which West Indies had topped had strong teams like South Africa, England and Sri Lanka. Home team India was termed hot favorites for their recent form and in consideration of home advantage. Australia and South Africa are always considered favorites in the recent world cricket events in any format.

But when the actual performance in the matches mattered two teams outshone the rest in the group matches. West Indies overcame the challenges of England, South Africa and Sri Lanka in reaching the semi-final ahead of the rest of the group. They were however shocked by resurging Afghanistan in a non-consequential group match. England from the group accompanied them elbowing out South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Group of death witnessed Australia and Pakistan exiting. Flying Kiwis looked impregnable at the group stage. Starting with a brilliant win against host India, New Zealand went on overcoming the challenges of Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They looked the team in great form till the semi-final. New Zealand appeared as the team having horses for the courses for the surfaces and environment.

New Zealand and India qualified from one group while West Indies and England from the other. Displaying wonderful professional skills England disposed off the challenge of New Zealand in the first semi-final. Kiwis maintained their consistency of Tigers in preliminary round and lambs in the business session.

Home team India was stand out favorite in the other semi-final against West Indies. But playing all-round brilliant cricket West Indies shocked India in a tight contest setting a date against England at Eden Gardens against England.

The manner in which West Indies won the championship has been termed as a Fairy tale all over the cricket world. England stressed West Indies to their limit. They appeared cruising till the start of the last over with West Indies requiring 19 for a win. Very few could anticipate the Caribbean hurricane that was coming. Ben Stokes who usually bowls controlled line and length seam bowling was given the task of bowling the final over. Marlon Samuels the seasoned Caribbean was at the non-striker’s end and relatively inexperienced bowling all-rounder Brathwaite was the striker. What happened over the next four bowls is now part of history. Braithwaite entered into the page of cricket history striking four consecutive sixes snatching the trophy from the firm grip of England.

The West Indies win is being evaluated and analyzed in many different ways. How a team looking down the barrel in all formats of the game in not too distant past can so well regrouping and toppling the best of the best in the business. The quality of Powerful West Indies’ cricket strength, at least in the limited over versions, was never in doubt. The West Indians are the top draw in any T20 league anywhere. Players like Gayle, Bravo, Russell and Sammy dominated IPL, Big Bash, BPL and CPL for a while. But when it came to representing West Indies Cricket team, somehow or other they performed well below their potential. Something somewhere was not being done correctly for motivating the talented cricketers performing their best.

But right from the outset of this World T20 the body language and team chemistry were entirely different. They were enjoying their carefree brand of aggressive and entertaining cricket. Captain Sammy was telling “It is a tournament of us against the rest.” Match after match they were appearing with supreme confidence and delivering.

Chris Gayle is a destructive force in cricket in any format. When he bats in his own style and mood he sweeps away any opponent. It does not matter how brilliant a bowler bowls, he has only one way of treating. He did not fire regularly. But the others like Charles, Simmons, Bravo, Russell, Braithwaite all batted with similar gay abandon style whenever required. Every batsman appeared like monster to opposition bowling. West Indian batsmen enjoyed the batting and won matches in tight situation. Leaving aside the match against Afghanistan, West Indian batsmen won matches in all situations.

The innings that Samuels played in the Final and finish that Braithwaite unleashed will remain as a topic of discussion for a long time.

West Indian bowling if not the best was definitely containing. India, South Africa and England could not take liberties against them. West Indies fielded like leopards after a long time. In all consideration the best team of the tournament won deservedly.
West Indies teams in recent times beat India, Australia and England in the finals of different world tournaments. These were all limited over versions of the game. Cricket admirers would love to see West Indies in similar winning mode in the ultimate frontier of the game, Test Cricket.

We have noted with deep interest the post-match emotional outburst of Daren Sammy. West Indies Cricket and Cricketers need much better deals. We hope West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will take a considerate view of the situation and create enabling environment for sustained success in West Indian Cricket. West Indies getting back to all winning status of 1970s and 1980s will serve fresh tonic to world cricket.

The top favorite team India failed to go beyond the semi-finals. Experts, especially Indian analysts before the tournament created hype that Indians would make it easy on their home conditions with their very strong squads.

They were in prolific form as well. But in their very first match they were shocked by New Zealand getting trapped on a slow low turning track. They bounced back against Pakistan and Australia. But they must thank their lady luck and inexperience of Bangladesh winning tight match for 1-run win. They were knocked out by brilliant West Indies in the semi-final. We cannot say that apart from Virat Kohli other top batting super stars delivered to their potential. Bowling was never above ordinary class, fielding was not championship potential.

Among other teams New Zealand was brilliant till semi-final. They looked unbeatable in the preliminary round. They played right spinners on spinning track and batted well in spinning conditions. Two top performers -- Trent Boult and Tim Southee -- were held back. Perhaps in the semi-final it could have been right choice to play them against England. Kiwis again promised great till business session but fell just short.

England played consistently well throughout the tournament and almost won the second T20 championship. The new generation English cricketers appeared well prepared. Roy and Hales are aggressive openers. Root proved why he is one of the best in the business. Morgan failed to bat consistently. But English middle order comprising Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow and Moeen Ali batted strongly when required. English bowlers adjusted to Indian wickets well and fielding also looked OK. England as less fancied team did well to reach the Final and almost win the trophy.

Bangladesh must consider themselves a little hard done in the tournament. Two of their top bowlers got suspension during the tournament for suspect bowling actions. Still they stormed into the business round. They were placed in the group of death. They played poorly against Pakistan and New Zealand. But they could stretch Australia and did everything but not winning against India.

There could be some issues in team management. The enigmatic captain Mashrafe did not looked enough comfortable in some matches. Top performer Nasir Hossain was completely ignored. Bits and pieces players were tried without success. The performance of Bangladesh team must come under review. It was not bad but could have been much better.

BDST: 0910 HRS, APR 05, 2016
SR