Skipper Darren Sammy waited a touch to see how far he had hit the ball and once convinced that it would sail over long-off, set off towards the West Indies’ dug out. No one has seen Chris Gayle run this fast when he is batting but the big man was beside his captain in a flash. The Gangnam blared and West Indies broke into unbridled celebrations.
Gayle and Dwayne Bravo improvised a bit gesturing with their hands. It was their answer to what James Faulkner had sparked off before the match.
The Aussie allrounder had said he did not like West Indies players, rekindling the verbal banter he had begun in his debut one-dayer against the West Indies last year. And Faulkner bowling the final over with 12 runs to defend added to the duel. “Talk is s**t,” Sammy said, at the post-match interaction. “Cricket is a game of action. You can talk all you want. It’s the action that happens in the middle that matters and West Indies did that today. It was not an easy match but we fought for it and this win will definitely hurt them. I guess Faulkner will not like us anymore,” he said.
Did Faulkner bowling the final over charge you up? “I don’t care who was bowling. We just knew we had to get 12 runs. But it makes it even better if it’s the guy who was talking a lot before the game,” Sammy said. It seldom happens that a blistering knock by Gayle gets overshadowed. On Friday, with four consecutive fours off Michael Starc, the Jamaican announced he was back to striking the ball as only he can. He, however, could not take the West Indies home. And when Sammy joined Bravo in the middle, the West Indies needed 49 off 21. It was 42 needed off the last three overs and 31 off the last two. A 13-ball 34 with two fours and three sixes sparked the celebrations.
{{/usCountry}}Did Faulkner bowling the final over charge you up? “I don’t care who was bowling. We just knew we had to get 12 runs. But it makes it even better if it’s the guy who was talking a lot before the game,” Sammy said. It seldom happens that a blistering knock by Gayle gets overshadowed. On Friday, with four consecutive fours off Michael Starc, the Jamaican announced he was back to striking the ball as only he can. He, however, could not take the West Indies home. And when Sammy joined Bravo in the middle, the West Indies needed 49 off 21. It was 42 needed off the last three overs and 31 off the last two. A 13-ball 34 with two fours and three sixes sparked the celebrations.
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