West Indies beats Australia for maiden women’s WT20 title

The Southern Stars lifted the trophy in 2010, 2012 and 2014 but could not defend 148 for five as 18-year-old Hayley Matthews (66) and captain Stafanie Taylor (59) shared a decisive 120-run partnership.

“We are in a good position”, said Bravo.

England and West Indies go toe-to-toe (and indeed blow-for-blow) in Kolkata in what is set to be a corker of a World Twentry20 final. No changes for us today. Buttler took the catch, the umpire raised his finger, and Samuels walked off. But then the replay was called for, and on the TV flashed proof that the ball had died just before Buttler’s glove. If you’re not on, not 100%, you’re not going to win.

However, fittingly Deandre Dottin and Britney Cooper kept calm and made the required three runs in the last over to clinch West Indies first ever women’s World Twenty20 title.

But the massive turnaround came in the last over of Powerplay when Stafanie too joined in the act with two boundaries after Hayely’s step-out six as they raced to 45 for no loss.

“We felt disrespected by our board, Mark Nicholas described us as having no brains and all this brought us together”.

“First and foremost I can’t fault anything we did with the ball or in the field”, he said.

Minister of Culture, Gender Affairs, Entertainment and Sport Olivia “Babsy” Grange, in a media release today, describes the West Indies men’s team as “true and worthy champions” after they became the first team to win the ICC T20 World Cup twice.

“We believe we can chase any target because we’ve got some real firepower”, he said. “I think the strides we have made in the last 12 months, this (winning the final) would be a great reward for the mindset we have shown and the hard work we’ve put in”. “We have to play well to beat them, make sure we look at our own game”, Root told reporters here ahead of the clash.

Legspinner Samuel Badree did the early damage with a spell of 2-16 with the new ball while Carlos Braithwaite (3-23) and Dwayne Bravo (3-37) bowled fine spells later.

“We’re not taking anything away from England, they have improved every game since that defeat to us”, Sammy said. “It was not a surprise, she played exceptionally well”.