KOLKATA, India, CMC –In the space of just four deliveries on Sunday, West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite banished bitter memories that had haunted him for the last five years.
Playing in his Twenty20 International debut against Bangladesh in Dhaka back in October 2011, a 23-year-old Brathwaite conceded 14 runs off the penultimate over with the hosts needing 22 off the two last overs, in pursuit of 133.
With eight runs left off the final over, Bangladesh got home off the fifth delivery, to deal West Indies a three-wicket defeat and claim victory in the one-off T20 game.
Unable to make amends the following year when West Indies won the 2012 Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, Brathwaite said leading the side to victory on Sunday against England helped make amends for his past failure.
“In 2012 I was reserve for the team.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t have been there to savour the moment and it was always a dream from then,” Brathwaite said.
“I remember my debut in Bangladesh when I didn’t come through for the team and we lost, and I made it my business to say Carlos Brathwaite will develop to be a match-winner.”
Brathwaite became an instant hero at Eden Gardens as he blasted West Indies to a four-wicket win and to the capture of the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup.
With the Windies needing 19 off the last six balls, Brathwaite clattered sixes off the first four deliveries, in a stunning finish.
“It’s better than a dream. Initially the plan was just to get bat on ball and run as hard as possible.
We knew we couldn’t waste any balls and that was just the first plan,” Brathwaite said afterward.
“Fortunately, I got the first couple away, that kind of settled the nerves a bit. Then after the third one, I knew that all I had to do was get bat on ball on the fourth one and we were World champions.
Fortunately, all four went for sixes and here we are: world champions, a treble for West Indies cricket.”
Brathwaite finished on 34 not out off ten deliveries, in an exhilarating 54-run-run stand with Man-of-the-Match Marlon Samuels, who was unbeaten on 85 off 66 balls at the end.
He said the feeling of winning a world title was hard to describe and pointed out that the fact West Indies had achieved against the odds made the accomplishment more special.
“It’s one of those out-of-body experiences. As a young man you dream of winning a World Cup – probably just winning a game – and to be able to do it amongst all these legends in T20 cricket, to be able to do it for the people of the Caribbean [is special].” he explained.
“We were written off. Even at the break we were listening to the commentary and no one could say they backed West Indies to win and just to be able to go out there and pull it off, especially a come-from-behind victory in the way we did it, is special. We couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
Brathwaite had earlier contributed with the ball, taking three for 23 as West Indies restricted England to 155 for nine off their 20 overs.
Medium pacer Dwayne Bravo also picked up three for 37 while leg-spinner Samuel Badree claimed two for 16.
Brathwaite said his hard work on his bowling behind the scenes, had finally paid off.
“I’ve been trying really hard at my bowling because I’d let the team down in my previous games and just for everything to come together today – all the nights in the gym, all the hard yards in training trying to bowl a little quicker, trying to bowl a little better, trying to back by plans – and for it to all come together today is really, really pleasing.”
