New Delhi: The team that almost didn’t make it, another that found hell at Eden for a second final, and the host side that could not make a miracle escape to count – the 2016 T20 World Cup was strewn with enough drama until the last shot settled the triumph.
India, marshaled by their masterful leader MS Dhoni were looking for a second World Cup at home in five years, having been crowned ODI champions under him in 2011 after 28 years. But two low-scoring games followed: the opening game against New Zealand ended in a 47-run defeat and the next, against Pakistan, was a comfortable win.
However, Bangladesh almost torpedoed their semi-final hopes in a thriller of a Super 10 league game in Bengaluru. Having restricted India to 146/7 on a surprisingly tacky M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, Bangladesh were coasting to victory. Needing 11 runs from the last over with the odds heavily stacked against India, Mushfiqur Rahim seemed to have almost sealed it when he hit Hardik Pandya, who was bowling the 20th over, for back-to-back fours.
Mushfiq pumped his fist in celebration after that second boundary, a scoop over Dhoni, and it looked certain as two runs were needed off three balls. But that is where the script went awry. The seasoned batter, eager to win it with a big hit, spooned a catch to square leg. With two to get off two, Mahmudullah took the full toss bait, and Ravindra Jadeja moved beautifully to take the catch.
In panic with two runs still to get off the last ball, No.10 Shuvagata Hom, fed a wide delivery, scampered for a bye. But Dhoni, already with his right glove off, rushed ahead and collected the ball. Instead of throwing down the wickets, which he could have missed, the India skipper ran up and dislodged the stumps. Bangladesh heartbroken. India escaped elimination and beat Australia to qualify for the semi-finals.
But this is where West Indies took over in earnest. The Darren Sammy-led side almost didn’t take the flight to India amid a bitter pay dispute with the West Indies board. Chris Gayle, the first to take on the Windies board five years earlier, had also shown players from the region that they have to make their own career, for which IPL provided an excellent opportunity.
As the feud raged, former Hampshire County skipper and TV commentator, Mark Nicholas, called them “players without brains”.
But once a deal was struck, Gayle led from the front with a match-winning century against England. In the semi-finals at the Wankhede, India removed him and anchor Marlon Samuels cheaply, but Lendl Simmons, roped in as an injury replacement, smashed an unbeaten 82*. With their bowling dismantled, the hosts were out.
It was heaven at Eden Gardens for West Indies on April 3. Their women first beat Australia by eight wickets in their final before the men took on England, who, under Eoin Morgan, had taken big steps following the disastrous 2015 ODI World Cup to reach the title battle.
It was all on the double. Sammy had already won the 2012 T20 World Cup as skipper, leg-spinner Samuel Badree opened the bowling again in the final. And Marlon Samuels, the rock then, was again the pivot as West Indies replied to England’s 155/9 built on Joe Root’s 36-ball 54.
Still, there was doubt if they could make it as Samuels, on 85, was seemingly stranded on the non-striker’s end with 19 to get off six balls with Carlos Brathwaite, the relative newcomer, left to face Ben Stokes.
Brathwaite delivered, and how! Three sixes in a row had left Stokes and England stunned. Just one run was needed off three deliveries but the Barbados allrounder encapsulated the Caribbean spirit by sending the next ball for a winning six, soaring over midwicket and into the Eden crowds.
As the men’s and women’s squads swarmed the field and broke into an impromptu dance, Stokes dropped to his knees devastated.
Sammy, even while basking in the second T20 World Cup won under his captaincy, took a jibe at Nicholas while being wary of his board retaliating once the cheers died down. “I don’t know when I’m going to be playing for West Indies again. I want to thank my team, thank my coaching staff. This is for the champions.”
