West Indies squad has match-winners who can defend T20 World Cup title: Samuel Badree

Former West Indies T20 specialist Samuel Badree feels that Kieron Pollard's side is capable of defending the title and have match-winners who can single-handedly win games for the team. Writing a column reliving his journey with the team during the 2016 T20 World Cup triumph, Badree wrote  “Many people have pegged them as the favourites, and quite rightly so because of the match-winners in that line-up. Any one of their players can single-handedly win a game and the experience of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo to name just a few, with their ability to stay calm under pressure, will count for a lot. " 

The leggie, who was a part of the West Indies team during both their World T20 victories also recalled a few memories from the T20 World Cup and also touched upon the 2016 Finals. West Indies went into the final over requiring 19 runs to win and Marlon Samuels, who was having a good game batting on 85 was at the non-striker’s end. An inexperienced Carlos Brathwaite was on strike facing Ben Stokes “Honestly, I thought we were done and dusted and we were out. I didn’t think we could get 19 runs, especially given the fact Carlos was facing the first ball of the over and Marlon who was on 85 not out wasn’t able to get on strike,” said Badree.

Carlos Brathwaite, however, took everyone by surprise with this power strike-hitting smashing home four sixes in four balls to Guide the Windies to their second World Cup trophy  “It was Carlos’s first T20 World Cup, so he wasn’t an established player and although we all knew what he was capable of in the Caribbean, I thought a World Cup final might have got the better of him. Credit to him, he was able to pull that off but it was only when I saw the first two sixes that I thought we had a chance. When he hit the third one, I knew we’d won and it was an amazing feeling.” Samuel Badree added. 

West Indies T20 World Cup squad

Kieron Pollard (C), Nicholas Pooran (VC), Akeal Hosein, Dwayne Bravo, Roston Chase, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh jr.

Reserves: Darren Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie.

Image: AP