World Twenty20 2016: Jonathan Agnew on 'remarkable end to a superb final'
- Published
The end of Sunday's World Twenty20 final between England and West Indies had one of the most remarkable finishes there has ever been to a limited-overs match, let alone the final of a World Cup.
With West Indies needing 19 runs off the last over, you would be backing England as the bowling side to win.
For Carlos Brathwaite to hit Ben Stokes for four sixes from the first four balls of that over was unbelievable.
It left England desolate and Stokes utterly devastated.
Perhaps the Durham all-rounder could have bowled those deliveries in a better place, but this is serious pressure at the end of a World Cup final. All you can do is applaud Brathwaite and admit that it was very, very special.
What Twenty20 cricket does is demand a very cool mind - an assassin's mind - because just one ball is crucial. It is such a short game and you have to be so incredibly focused.
On this day it was Brathwaite who was able to step in and bat like that. It was how maybe Viv Richards could have done it 30 years ago, but I'd be surprised if I ever see something like that again.
England benefited from the unexpected
It was a really good game of cricket. It just goes to show what can happen with the extra tension and pressure of a final.
England were 30 runs short with their 155-9 and when Joe Root was out in the 15th over with them at 111-7, you thought that was them dead and buried.
You knew if England were going to have a chance they would have to take every catch going, get West Indies talisman Chris Gayle out straight away and be on it from the word go.
What they did was totally unexpected - beginning with Root opening the bowling.
It was almost a pride thing for the West Indies. To have Root bowling at them, they would have been wondering what was going on and they duly slogged the ball up in the air.
Stokes held two really good, really important catches out in the deep and England were away. The pressure was on.
It it is a final and it doesn't matter who you are, chasing runs to win a final brings an inherent pressure. Unless, that is, your name is Carlos Brathwaite.
England demonstrated their character
This team, despite being 30 runs short, had the character to take the game as deep as they did. And they could have won it but from some outrageous hitting at the end.
England have learned that they can win a game from even the most dire of positions. Halfway through Sunday's game it was pretty dire, but they didn't give up.
They have taken a battering. The trophy was wrestled away from them in two minutes so they will be devastated.
However, those with cooler heads - head coach Trevor Bayliss in particular - will realise that they have done extremely well to even be competing in that final over and be in with a chance of winning the match.
It shows that this team has an awful lot of character.
Stokes will bounce back... in time
Unfortunately for Stokes, whenever there is a World Twenty20, that final over will be shown. For as long as he is playing T20 cricket, it will be flying around. He will have to get over it.
He is a very competitive and strong-willed and he is a very talented cricket. He will get over it, but it will take a while.
Maybe one day when he is retired, he will think he has been involved in something pretty special at Eden Gardens, but it will take a long time to get there.
West Indies must seize this moment
It is really good for West Indies cricket that their men and women have both won their respective World T20 competitions. Cricket over there is flagging and this is a real shot in the arm.
What we would all like to see is this enthusiasm for T20 cricket born again in their Test cricket.
Not many of these players play Test cricket, which is a real shame, but there needs to be this life, fun and determination in the longer form of the game.
It is down to their coach Phil Simmons to make sure this does carry over because there is nothing better than West Indies cricket when it is smiling - it is a wonderful and happy thing.
It is unique and special and it needs to thrive. They must seize the moment.
Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC Sport's Stephan Shemilt.
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