When Carlos Brathwaite Broke England’s T20 World Cup Hopes in Four Balls…

The 2016 T20 World Cup will always be remembered for unforgettable moments like Virat Kohli’s stunning 82 against Australia, England’s incredible chase against South Africa, and Afghanistan’s historic victory over the West Indies. But the most iconic moment came in the final when Carlos Brathwaite shattered England’s hopes by hitting four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes in the last over, sealing a dramatic win for the West Indies. It was a breathtaking display of power and composure that left cricket fans speechless. Do you want to revisit the epic moment? Let’s get back to 3rd April 2016 at the Eden Gardens.

2016 T20 World Cup Finals: England vs West Indies

After winning the 2012 T20 World Cup, West Indies and England, with their 2010 triumph, faced off for the ultimate prize at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens on April 3, 2016. With a roaring crowd of 66,000 spectators, West Indies captain Daren Sammy won the toss and chose to field first. Their confidence soared after a thrilling semifinal win over India, chasing down a massive 193. England, on the other hand, entered the final after a dominant victory against New Zealand, setting the stage for an amazing clash for their second T20 World Cup title.

Throughout the tournament, England’s openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales had been the backbone of their strong starts, and once again, the team pinned their hopes on them in the final. But the plan quickly unravelled. On just the second ball of the innings, Jason Roy was bowled by Samuel Badree for a duck, silencing the English supporters. Moments later, Alex Hales joined him in the pavilion, caught by Badree off Andre Russell’s bowling for just 1 run. By the end of the second over, England was in deep trouble at 8-2.

With two quick wickets down, England’s captain Eoin Morgan stepped in, hoping to anchor the innings. However, the pressure of the finals got the better of him, as he struggled to score 5 runs off 12 balls before falling to Samuel Badree, leaving England reeling at 23-3 in 4.4 overs. Just when trouble loomed large, Joe Root and Jos Buttler came to the rescue. The pair forged a crucial 61-run partnership, stabilizing the innings. But in the 12th over, Buttler’s fiery knock of 36 from 22 balls ended with a straight shot to Carlos Brathwaite off DJ Bravo, leaving England at 84-4.

Despite wickets falling at the other end, Joe Root stood firm, smashing his way to a quickfire half-century off just 33 balls, looking poised to steer England to a competitive total. However, the game took a dramatic turn in the 14th over, as Dwayne Bravo unleashed a spell that shattered England’s hopes. In the blink of an eye, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali were sent packing in just three balls, leaving England reeling at 110 for 6. The final blow came when Carlos Brathwaite trapped Root for 54 off 36 balls in the 15th over, leaving England struggling at 115/7.

With England on the back foot and hopes dwindling, David Willey emerged as a saviour, smashing 21 runs off 14 balls, while Chris Jordan supported with a gritty 12 from 13 balls. Together, they managed to push England to a more respectable total. As the innings drew to a close, England made 155/9 from their 20 overs. For the West Indies, Dwayne Bravo was the star with the ball, finishing with impressive figures of 3/37 in 4 overs. Carlos Brathwaite backed him up brilliantly, taking 3/23 in his 4-over spell, keeping the pressure firmly on England.

In the case of 156 runs, England’s captain quickly realized that the pitch at Eden Gardens was playing slow and tricky. He made a bold move, handing the ball to Joe Root in just the second over. Root seized the opportunity, striking with his very first delivery. He dismissed Johnson Charles for a duck, and just two balls later, he got rid of Chris Gayle for a mere 4 runs.

In the blink of an eye, the West Indies were in deep trouble, sitting at just 10 runs with two wickets down in the first two overs. With their backs against the wall, the West Indies looked to their semi-final hero, Lendl Simmons, to steady the ship, but the pressure was too much and he was sent packing for a duck by David Willey, leaving the West Indies in a precarious position at 11/3 after just three overs.

Just like in England’s innings, the West Indies found a saviour in their fourth-wicket partnership. Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo steadied the ship with a crucial 75-run stand, guiding their team to 86/4 in 14 overs. Bravo played a composed knock of 25 runs off 27 balls before falling to Adil Rashid, leaving the West Indies needing 60 runs from the final six overs.

Samuels then turned up the heat, smashing 18 runs off Liam Plunkett’s over to reignite hopes for a comeback. But just as momentum shifted, England’s star bowler David Willey returned with a fiery spell, removing Andre Russell and Darren Sammy in three balls. The West Indies were left reeling at 111/6 after 16 overs. In the 17th and 18th overs, the West Indies struggled to find momentum, managing just two boundaries and a total of 16 runs, their chase lost steam. With the pressure mounting and the required rate climbing, they seemed to be slipping out of contention, leaving their hopes hanging by a thread.

The Tale of the Last 2 Overs

With two overs left, the West Indies needed 27 runs to pull off a stunning win. England captain Eoin Morgan faced a tough call as his premier bowler Chris Jordan had one over remaining, and the rest of his frontline options, including Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, and David Willey, had bowled out. Jordan took charge of the 19th over with the dangerous Marlon Samuels well set and the explosive Carlos Brathwaite at the crease.

Under immense pressure, Jordan delivered a brilliant over, conceding just 8 runs and keeping the big hitters in check. His clutch performance meant that England entered the final over with a 19-run cushion, giving them a glimmer of hope in a tense finish. The stage was set for a nail-biting finish, with Eoin Morgan left with no choice but to entrust Ben Stokes with the final over. Stokes, having conceded just 17 runs in his previous two overs, was England’s best hope. But as Marlon Samuels stood at the non-striker’s end, all eyes were on Carlos Brathwaite, tasked with scripting a miracle.

Ball 1: With 19 runs needed, Ben Stokes began the final over, but his first ball was a half-volley on the leg side, which Carlos Brathwaite pounced on, launching it over deep backward square leg for a massive six, immediately igniting hope for the West Indies and bringing the target down to 13 runs from 5 balls.

Ball 2: Stokes, under visible pressure, bowled another delivery in the slot, and Brathwaite, full of confidence, swung hard to send the ball sailing over long-on for a second consecutive six, shifting the momentum entirely and reducing the equation to just 7 runs needed from 4 balls.

Ball 3: As the tension built, Stokes missed his length once again, delivering another hittable ball, and Brathwaite showed no mercy, hammering it high over long-off for his third six in a row, leaving the West Indies needing only 1 run from the final 3 balls and sending their dugout into wild celebrations.

Ball 4: With victory just a swing away, Brathwaite finished the job in spectacular style by smashing the ball high and deep over midwicket, sealing the title for the West Indies as the ball disappeared into the jubilant crowd and Ian Bishop’s iconic words echoed through the commentary box: “Carlos Brathwaite! Remember the name!”

It was a finish for the ages as Brathwaite led the West Indies to their second T20 World Cup, while a heartbroken England consoled Ben Stokes, who endured one of the toughest nights of his cricketing career.