In his post-match interview, Sammy said his team felt disrespected by the board, referring to the lengthy pay dispute that had put their participation in the tournament in jeopardy.
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He praised his team for putting those adversities aside as well as the coaching staff led by head coach Phil Simmons. We had a new manager in this tournament in Rawl Lewis, he had never managed any team before.
“I think throughout this tournament we’ve shared a lot of good times. We had no uniforms, no printing”, said Sammy.
Sammy became emotional as he related these details, and went on to add that the team had gotten messages from sponsors Caricom and “inspiring” ones from Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell yesterday morning, but not from the board, which he described as “very disappointing”.
The 18-year-old Matthews, who struck six fours and three sixes off 45 balls, was voted Player-of-the-Match for her innings.
But the England all-rounder strayed with his direction and length, and Carlos Brathwaite smashed him for four consecutive sixes to win an extraordinary game by four wickets with two balls to spare.
But despite losing their opener against the West Indies and conceding 230 runs in their next match against South Africa, they refused to be intimidated by any situation and instead stared down all-comers on their way to the final.
I want to thank the almighty, because without him nothing is possible. “Both sides let themselves down with the bat”.
“In the practice (game) against Australia I sat in the same seat and made a first-ball duck, so I said I’d go back in the same seat I’d do something special”.
“It is our job and we come to play to win and make Caribbean proud”.
Needing 19 to win, Brathwaite hit Ben Stokes’ first four balls for maximums to secure a four-wicket victory spark jubilant celebrations from the Caribbean outfit.
“This means a lot not only for us as a team but for our fans all over the world”.
However, Carlos Brathwaite (34 not out from 10 balls) delivered a sensational twist – striking Ben Stokes for four successive sixes to reclaim the title for the 2012 champions.
The Windies needed 19 to win going into the last over, bowled by Stokes, who had been brilliant as England’s death bowler during the tournament.
With Marlon Samuels playing the other starring role for the Windies with the bat in making 85 not out, Morgan pinpointed where he thought England had faltered.
Earlier West Indies’ bowlers justified captain Darren Sammy’s decision to field first as Samuel Badree and Andre Russell put England on the backfoot at only 23 for three in 4.4 overs.
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Samuels counter-attacked by hitting Chris Jordan for three boundaries in the sixth over and rebuilt by constructing a 75-run partnership with Dwayne Bravo (25).
