World T20, Final: England v West Indies at Kolkata, Apr 3, 2016
The final over, the reckoning. WI need 19 off six balls... This is it, folks. Time for a hero.Woe is England, woe is Stokes. Joy is West Indies - they need 1 to win, with three balls left. Carlos Brathwaite has just become a national hero. SIX, finishes it with a six! The most amazing final over and West Indies are World T20 champions for the second time! Stokes goes the distance, he's out on his feet and the West Indies players are out on the field, charging for the middle - this soared into the stands at deep midwicket and Brathwaite let out and primeval roar before being hugged by his team-mate Samuels.
OMG. What an incredible finish, that will go down through the ages as one of the great finals. West Indies were pushed all the way and in the end had to do it in the most West Indies way possible. They back themselves, no matter the odds, and Carlos Brathwaite has weaved himself vividly into the tapestry with that knockout innings. The WI players are doing the "Champion" dance in the middle, I think Brathwaite is lying on his back in the middle. That was bonkers. And just as with West Indies' victory in 2012, Marlon Samuels was the rock at the middle of it all.
"What just happened?" Good question, Saurabh.
"Feel sorry for Stokes" Another common sentiment, from Tharun. That was the most runs scored to win off a final over in a T20I, beating Hussey's pounding of Ajmal in 2010.
Here's the demolisher, Carlos Brathwaite: "Want to give God thanks, that was an amazing knock from Marlon. He took responsibility and played a fantastic knock. Can't really express how much of a top knock that was. The U-19s did it, the girls did it, and now us."
Curtly Ambrose says they never doubted they get over the line, even with 19 needed from the final over. And who's going to question Curtly?
"What happened you ask ? Braithwaite happened..." hoots HarishVaranasi, with some justification.
"Guptill started the tournament with a six off the first ball, Braithwaite finishes in kind. Cricket wins again with this tournament." You're conveniently ignoring the qualifying round, Sid, but I'll let you off since the adrenaline is flowing...
maz Raja: "Actual Afghanistan won the t20 WC. Because windiest only beaten in this tournament by Afghanistan." Gotta love Afghanistan fans.
Here's Aditya John Bin: "Other than England, can't think of any other cricket playing nation which is not feeling overjoyed about the 3 world cup victories for the windies... They bring joy to the sport."