Blurb:
West Indies had the ability to hit out of a tough situation. They tore into the opposition bowlers, clubbing them for towering sixes and shattering their confidence.
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The year 2016 is turning out to be a dream one for the West Indies. Their colts had ticked off the right boxes to win the U-19 World Cup - an event that preceded the World Cup in India - only to prove that the youth development has been yielding results for a country that seemed to have gone off the boil in world cricket of late.
West Indies were not totally written off as contenders for the ICC World Twenty20 title, but since 2012 when their men's team had lifted the crown in Sri Lanka, their performance at the international level hardly managed to grab attention. Who would have foreseen that the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata would witness West Indies men and women teams taking the cricket world by storm after being crowned T20 champions. Never had it happened in the history of this format that a single country could go on to clinch twin titles.
Though it was India who won it for the first time under MS Dhoni in 2007, West Indies and England went on to set up an unique final this time with two past champions battling it out for supremacy. While it was West Indies' maiden appearance in the women's final, the eves kept their cool to beat Australia only to watch the men's team, led by Darren Sammy, pull off a stunning win against England to make it a perfect Sunday night to pop the champagne for all of the Caribbean and their supporters who had temporarily shifted base to Kolkata to witness the grand finale.
In a sense, victory for the West Indies has ushered in a new era in World T20 cricket. Not only were the women determined and dogged in carrying themselves all the way to their final destination, Sammy ensured that he kept faith in his men until the mission was finally accomplished. It was evident that the West Indies were fearless throughout the tournament. They never changed their style of play despite being intimidated by the might of their opponents. And, like winners who make their own fortune, they rode their luck till the end to become the new world champions.
What differentiated the Windies from the others was their ability to hit out of a tough situation. When they were confronted with stiff chases, their batsmen irrespective of where they were batting, tore into the opposition bowlers, clubbing them for towering sixes and shattering their confidence. And, when it came to containing their rivals, none would argue that they had their own ammunition to limit the batsmen, backed by some good fielding.
What underlined their performance over a fortnight's action was their consistent hitting, reminiscent of their predecessors who ruled the world of cricket back in the 60s, 70s and 80s. World cricket needs the West Indies to flourish as their brand of cricket remains unparalleled and their uncanny flair entices most connoisseurs who have seen past teams devour their opponents with disdain. This was evident when the likes of Sir Viv Richards batted in his prime. The present generation is being treated to a similar dose of destruction by the inimitable Chris Gayle dubbed the 'King of Sixes'. Yes, a new order had just come to rule the cricket world. Cricket lovers will cherish the flavour dished out by Windies, barring the minor upset caused by minnows Afghanistan.
