After a wait of five long years, the Men’s T20 World Cup is all set to play out, not in India as initially planned but in UAE and Oman. And while India, hosts of the previous edition in 2016, brings back some brilliant memories, West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite is unperturbed by the change of venue.
A big reason in West Indies’ title winning campaign in 2016, Brathwaite had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, smashing Ben Stokes for four monster sixers at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Brathwaite, who feels the change in venue for the men’s T20 World Cup won’t matter too much, is quietly confident of the defending champions retaining their crown.
“I think West Indies will win it,” Brathwaite told The Quint.
However, Brathwaite does not rate the Australians as one of the most dangerous units for the T20 World Cup. But he is keeping an eye out on Pakistan and also noted that the whole Indian squad will be playing the remainder of IPL 2021 in UAE just before the World Cup.
“When you talk about tough opposition, England – they have very good white ball players and have had a few good years. India – close to home and an all-round good team that’s consistent. They’ll be in game mode as a collective as compared to other teams. And Pakistan is a very good tournament team, and on their day, they can beat any team,” Brathwaite said.
Walk Down Memory Lane
After that unforgettable performance in the 2016 final, Brathwaite, who had the honour of kicking off the ICC trophy tour for the men’s T20 World Cup, remembers the year and day very fondly. Brathwaite said that he's looking forward to seeing the fans get involved with the virtual trophy tour.
“A lot of things were said about the team before we got there and when we got there and we weren’t even given a chance to qualify for the knockouts, far less make the finals and be eventual champions. I can remember when I came in, I had a chat with Dwayne Bravo about the situation. He told me that we’ll go to the World Cup and win the World Cup. So from there to raise the trophy and be champions and for me to be part of the reason that we were champions was very special for me,” he said.
"For WI cricket it also culminated to the only time we’ll ever see the women’s team, u-19s and the men’s champion in the same year and that was very special,” he added.
When asked about his most special moment from the campaign, Brathwaite remembers a moment of calm in the madness of the final over.
“Hitting the third six and then after that there was a bit of a wait. My wife who was my girlfriend at the time, she was in the stands and the West Indies women’s cricket team were in the stands, and just because of the wait as the ball came back on the field, I had a little time to look up at them and blow a kiss at her and enjoy the moment and really soak in what I had done in the previous three balls. Obviously, the feeling of getting the fourth one over the rope and being eventual champions was right up there,” he said.
“I think being able to share the moment with the women’s team who had just won their tournament as well, them to stay on and support us and to have my girlfriend over there to share the moment with, was a good moment for me,” he added.
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