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In a tournament largely defined by spirited challenges from unfancied underdogs, this fixture brings together two heavyweights and promises a contest to savour. West Indies may no longer rank among the global powerhouses in the longer formats — they failed to qualify for the ICC’s last two 50-over World Cups — but in the fast-paced theatre of T20 cricket, their brand of raw power remains as dangerous as ever. Few teams know that better than England, especially at the Wankhede.
An England–West Indies clash at a T20 World Cup inevitably invites memories of one of the format’s most iconic moments. Almost a decade ago in Kolkata, Carlos Brathwaite etched his name into history by launching Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes to snatch the 2016 title from England’s grasp, just as the trophy engraving was all but complete.
If that finale felt cruel from England’s perspective, it was not entirely unexpected. Earlier in the same campaign, at this very venue, they had been on the receiving end of an even more brutal display when Chris Gayle smashed 11 towering sixes in a breathtaking 47-ball century.
Those two defeats proved to be the only losses of England’s otherwise bold — if somewhat naïve — campaign. The team may not yet have possessed the tactical nous required to counter a battle-hardened, IPL-seasoned West Indies side, but the lessons learned would go on to shape their white-ball evolution, proving invaluable during the defining moments of the 2019 World Cup.
Only two players from that 2016 squad remain in England’s ranks today: Adil Rashid and Jos Buttler. For Buttler in particular, the tournament underlined the value of six-hitting — the realisation that even the steepest chases can be dismantled with a handful of well-timed blows when the match-ups fall into place.
Yet, as Sam Curran reflected after defending a tense final over against Nepal earlier in the tournament, the lessons of 2016 still resonate from both perspectives. “I weirdly thought of the 2016 final, when Carlos got hold of Stokesy,” Curran told the BBC. “I was thinking, ‘If I execute, he’s not going to hit me for six.’”
West Indies, too, carry echoes of that triumph. Johnson Charles and Jason Holder remain from the title-winning side, alongside head coach Daren Sammy, whose leadership was central to uniting the team behind a shared purpose. As he showed during an expansive media address on the eve of the match, touching on almost every facet of West Indies cricket, Sammy’s class of 2026 will not be short of motivation when they face England once more.
Squads:
West Indies Squad: Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales
England Squad: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook(c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Ben Duckett
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An England–West Indies clash at a T20 World Cup inevitably invites memories of one of the format’s most iconic moments. Almost a decade ago in Kolkata, Carlos Brathwaite etched his name into history by launching Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes to snatch the 2016 title from England’s grasp, just as the trophy engraving was all but complete.
If that finale felt cruel from England’s perspective, it was not entirely unexpected. Earlier in the same campaign, at this very venue, they had been on the receiving end of an even more brutal display when Chris Gayle smashed 11 towering sixes in a breathtaking 47-ball century.
Those two defeats proved to be the only losses of England’s otherwise bold — if somewhat naïve — campaign. The team may not yet have possessed the tactical nous required to counter a battle-hardened, IPL-seasoned West Indies side, but the lessons learned would go on to shape their white-ball evolution, proving invaluable during the defining moments of the 2019 World Cup.
Only two players from that 2016 squad remain in England’s ranks today: Adil Rashid and Jos Buttler. For Buttler in particular, the tournament underlined the value of six-hitting — the realisation that even the steepest chases can be dismantled with a handful of well-timed blows when the match-ups fall into place.
Yet, as Sam Curran reflected after defending a tense final over against Nepal earlier in the tournament, the lessons of 2016 still resonate from both perspectives. “I weirdly thought of the 2016 final, when Carlos got hold of Stokesy,” Curran told the BBC. “I was thinking, ‘If I execute, he’s not going to hit me for six.’”
West Indies, too, carry echoes of that triumph. Johnson Charles and Jason Holder remain from the title-winning side, alongside head coach Daren Sammy, whose leadership was central to uniting the team behind a shared purpose. As he showed during an expansive media address on the eve of the match, touching on almost every facet of West Indies cricket, Sammy’s class of 2026 will not be short of motivation when they face England once more.
Squads:
West Indies Squad: Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales
England Squad: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook(c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Ben Duckett
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All posters, please take note of the following guidelines for match threads on PakPassion:
1. No personal insults at other posters, players, officials, coaching staff, etc.
2. No making fun of players', officials', or coaching staff's names.
3. Do not add any references to media, their social media, or post any pictures or screenshots from other sports websites.
4. Stick to commenting on this match. There is no need to bring other countries into the match discussion, as there are plenty of other threads where those discussions can be added.
