ICC World T20 Final 2016: England vs. West Indies Score and Reaction

West Indies were crowned champions of the Twenty20 cricket world after they recorded a dramatic four-wicket victory over England in Sunday’s final.

Captain Eoin Morgan’s men chalked up 155 for nine in a shaky opening innings, and the West Indies responded with 161 for six to become the first team to lift the World T20 trophy on two separate occasions.

Carlos Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels stole the show with the bat. The former smashed four sixes from four balls in the final over to put a fitting end to a remarkable match at the Eden Gardens.

West Indies had needed 19 off that final Ben Stokes over, but Brathwaite clattered the ball to all parts of the ground in a stunning display of power hitting.

Saurabh Das/Associated Press

The Windies had won the toss and chose to bowl first against the big-hitting English order, and they got the fast start they so sorely craved.

Jason Roy was the man of the match in England’s semi-final thanks to a sublime knock of 78, but the opener was sent packing on just the second ball by the impressive Samuel Badree (two for 16), who beat the inside edge to find Roy’s stumps.

And it got worse before it got better for Morgan’s men. Alex Hales finally made good contact with an Andre Russell delivery, but he played it straight into the grateful hands of Badree to leave England on eight for two.

But England still had their star man, Joe Root, to call upon, and it’s safe to say he was carrying a lot of expectation after the disastrous start. Piers Morgan was one of many English fans calling for a big knock:

The young man certainly delivered the goods, although his partners weren’t quite up to scratch.

Morgan fell foul to another excellent Badree delivery for five, while Stokes and Moeen Ali also failed to make an impact. Root’s wicket eventually fell for 54, making him the highest England scorer in a World T20 tournament, per OptaJim:

At 111 for seven after Root’s departure, it was a case of trying to make every ball count for England.

David Willey came in and tried to slog his way to a big score, but when he tried to knock a slower Brathwaite delivery out the door, he played it straight at Johnson Charles.

England eventually posted 155 for nine after 20 overs, which was a decent haul given their slow start.

Still, giving the West Indies just over 150 to win the match is never wise, and Darren Sammy’s men came to the crease looking to prove their worth straight from the off.

The opening partnership of Chris Gayle and Charles is enough to strike fear into any bowler, but when Willey conceded just one run in the first over, the nerves looked to be settled.

Captain Morgan then made a decision to send Root in to bowl, and it had plenty of fans scratching their heads. But one ball later, it was officially declared a masterstroke.

Root’s slow, spinning delivery was tossed up into the air by Charles and straight down the neck of Stokes, who easily took the catch.

Two balls later and the youngster was at it again; this time taking out the dangerman Gayle with another teasing ball—and the euphoria was clear to see, per England Cricket:

Root appeared to be annoyed by the West Indies’ over-the-top celebrations upon his dismissal, and he didn’t hold back when Stokes caught Gayle.

The rest of England wasn't holding back, either, as BreathSport commented that Root had earned himself superhero status:

"

Joe Root:

Top scores for England.
Wicket with his first ball.
Gets Chris Gayle out.#WT20Final #Hero pic.twitter.com/tAM7ZX3seh

— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) April 3, 2016"

Willey then trapped Lendl Simmons leg before wicket with a perfect delivery, but there was nothing the English could do about the progress of Samuels.

The batsman was handling everything England’s seamers could throw at him, and although he survived a dismissal following a review, per Sky Sports Cricket, he soon found his way over the half-century mark:

The momentum was well and truly with the West Indies as they moved towards the 15-over mark, but Willey soon spoiled the party. He took out Russell and Sammy in the 15th to leave the West Indies on 107 for six and needed 49 runs to win.

Samuels and Brathwaite were the men tasked with taking the West Indies over the line, yet bowling from the likes of Chris Jordan was too good to slog out the park.

Still, Samuel's knock of 85 was quite superb. In fact, it's the highest total ever in World T20 final, and actor Gaurav Kapur was one of many singing his praises:

West Indies were handed the task of chalking up 19 runs to win from the final over with Stokes to bowl, and although England would have been confident, Brathwaite sprung into life and secured the trophy.

He knocked four enormous sixes into the crowd to make light work of Stokes' attempted yorkers and send his team-mates bonkers on the sidelines. The Times' Tony Barrett reflected on a dream come true for the batsman:

England certainly played their part in one of the best World T20 finals ever, but the way that the West Indies dug in and chalked up the vital runs was nothing short of exemplary.

West Indies broke England hearts at the start of the tournament with a thrilling run chase, and history repeated itself in Kolkata, as one man seized his chance to become a national hero.