Five-and-a-half years after Carlos Brathwaite hit four successive sixes off Ben Stokes’ bowling to win the World Twenty20 final for the West Indies in 2016, the defending champion will renew its T20 World Cup rivalry with England in here on Saturday.
However, both men involved in that epoch-defining over at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata are missing this time around. There are more notable absentees in Jofra Archer and Sunil Narine.
It is against this backdrop of missing names that a wide palette of power-hitters from both sides will try to outmuscle each other.
Eoin Morgan’s captaincy has been impressive but England will need him to contribute with the bat. How Moeen Ali is used could be crucial. He can bat at No. 3 in place of Dawid Malan, whose form in the warm-ups didn’t inspire confidence.
In Mark Wood and Tymal Mills, England’s attack has extra pace that could provide an edge. But England has just one frontline spinner in Adil Rashid.
For West Indies, the spin attack is obviously weaker in Narine’s absence.
It has three good quicks in Obed McCoy, Dwayne Bravo and Ravi Rampaul.
The West Indies’ batting has depth, with Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Chris Gayle — his lean patch is a worry — headlining it. Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis and Bravo add more heft.
It’s a battle between a side tailor-made for the shortest format, and one that has revolutionised its limited-overs cricket. But on Saturday, the team that adapts better and faster will win.
The teams (from):
West Indies: Kieron Pollard (Capt.), Nicholas Pooran, Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Roston Chase, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas, and Hayden Walsh Jr.
England: Eoin Morgan (Capt.), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, and Mark Wood.
Match starts at 7.30 p.m. IST.
