Carlos Brathwaite
Flickr photo by Edmund Gall shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA 2.0) license.

Carlos Brathwaite: Remember the name

Mustafa Ismail·
One Day International (ODI)
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Carlos Brathwaite produced one of the most memorable performances in World Cup history – but it wasn’t to be for the West Indies as they lost out to New Zealand in the final over…

After initial complaints about the rain and one-sided encounters, the 2019 World Cup has caught fire with some exhilarating cricket. The West Indies vs. New Zealand match was the best of the lot with the Caribbean side falling just short in their chase after a miraculous effort by Carlos Brathwaite. We ran through all the emotions during the game and despite the heartbreak and relief experienced by West Indies and New Zealand respectively, it was cricket that ultimately won. The match encompassed all that we love about the sport. The unpredictable nature; the excitement it produces; and the passion it exudes – all seemingly unparalleled.

It was almost like witnessing a video game come to life. Carlos Brathwaite was depositing almost every ball into the stands and that too with just one wicket left. It was high-risk cricket, but it’s the West Indian way. No other team would’ve pushed the game that close in that fashion. Yes, you can argue that he should’ve played out James Neesham’s over and attacked Matt Henry in the last over – but he went with his natural instinct. The same instinct that brought his side within touching distance of victory.

West Indies needed 81 runs in 12 overs with just two wickets in hand when Sheldon Cottrell walked in, knowing that he needed to hold the fort with Brathwaite. They put up a solid partnership without worrying too much about the climbing run-rate. Brathwaite was batting sensibly and trusted his partner with a few balls at the other end – with Cottrell taking a few blows to the body but making sure he got stuck in. In fact, the medium-pacer even managed to sneak in a few boundaries. Cottrell was then dismissed by a rampant Lockie Ferguson – and with that, it looked like West Indies’ hopes were extinguished.

With 47 runs still needed in 5 overs, Carlos Brathwaite decided to explode. He went hell for leather and smashed the ball around the park, severely punishing both Henry and Neshaam. Whether they bowled on the off-side, leg-side, or straight down, he pulverised the ball to the boundary. It was absolute carnage, the atmosphere was electric, and Brathwaite was running the show. The third last over was the turning point, with Brathwaite smashing Henry for 25 runs. The over included three massive sixes and a crunching four, turning the game on its head and putting West Indies in a favourable position. Brathwaite got to his century off just 82 balls and his incredible innings had left Kiwi fans in total shock.

Neesham bowled the penultimate over and after bowling a few short balls, he bowled one fuller. Carlos Brathwaite’s eyes lit up – and even though he didn’t time the shot to perfection, it looked like it was going to clear the boundary until Trent Boult stuck his hand out and took a fantastic catch right on the boundary. Brathwaite was on his knees, having given it his all with one of the best World Cup knocks of all time. He fell a few inches short of leading his team to a miraculous victory, and it was heartbreaking for everyone watching. New Zealand’s players even paused their celebrations and went over to Brathwaite to console him.

We might never see an innings like this again, given the circumstances under which it was played. The pressure involved made it all even more breathtaking. Brathwaite last caught the public eye in the 2016 T20 World Cup, when he hit Ben Stokes for four back-to-back sixes. This innings against New Zealand will make sure he’s talked about for many years to come. It would’ve been great if he pulled off the win, but such are the margins of victory in this sport.

You can criticize the West Indies for not playing sensibly in the middle overs, with Shimron Hetmyer throwing his wicket away when him and Gayle were bossing the game. However, if it wasn’t for this brash and aggressive Calypso style, we would’ve never witnessed such an imperious batting display. Overall, West Indies have a lot to improve on – but if they continue to play such a fearless and aggressive brand of cricket, success will be within reach and their fan-base will only grow further.