Introduction
The sixth edition of the T20I World Cup was staged in India in 2016, the third successive time that it had been held in Asia. Seven cities – Bangalore, Dharamshala, Kolkata, Mohali, Mumbai, Nagpur -were chosen as match venues, with the tournament staged between 8 March and 3 April, before the start of the Indian T20 league.
The teams
For the second consecutive edition, the tournament featured 16 teams.
It included all ten full members at the time, plus six associate members. They had earned their place by qualifying through the World Twenty20 Qualifier which had been held the previous year. In the event it was Scotland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Oman (making their tournament debut) who took their places in India.
The six qualifiers, plus the two lowest ranked full member nations – Bangladesh and Zimbabwe – were then placed in two groups of four, to determine who would progress to the Super 10 stage of the competition. Only the top team in each group advanced.
The groups
Group A consisted of the hosts Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Oman, and Ireland.
Group B comprised Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Scotland, and Hong Kong.
The group stages
In Group A, weather in Dharamshala had a part to play and two matches were rained off. However, where play was possible, Bangladesh went through after beating the Netherlands, and Oman. The Netherlands and Oman both beat Ireland, but in the end their efforts were in vain.
Group B was clearer cut, Afghanistan progressing with a 100% record. Zimbabwe finished second and Scotland third, but they were among the teams to depart for home.
Super 10s format
For the Super 10 competition, the teams were divided into two groups. Only the top two teams in each group progressed to the knock-out games.
Group 1 was made up of the West Indies, England, South Africa, the defending champions Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
Group 2 featured the hosts India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Super 10s results
Group 1 finished with both the West Indies and England taking six points, but the West Indies had a better Net Run Rate and went through as group winners. When the two played each other the West Indies won by six wickets, Chris Gayle making an unbeaten century, but they then suffered a surprise defat to Afghanistan. South Africa, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan finished behind the leading two in that order.
New Zealand won every game in Group 2, which included a 47 run defeat of the home nation in Nagpur in the opening group game, where India were bowled out for just 70. Despite that start they recovered to take second place in the group, and they had the satisfaction of beating the “old enemy” Pakistan by six wickets in Kolkata.
Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh all failed to progress.
The knock-out games
The first semi-final was played in Delhi and featured New Zealand and England. England asked the Kiwis to bat first, and they made 153/8 from their 20 overs. England chased that down with nearly three overs in hand, winning by seven wickets.
The next day there was huge disappointment for a capacity crowd in Mumbai, as the West Indies knocked out the home nation. India batting first, after being put in, made a highly competitive 192/2, with Virat Kohli making an unbeaten 89. But the West Indies judged their run chase to perfection, reaching their target with two balls to go, Lendl Simmons finishing undefeated on 82.
The final
The final took place at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 3rd April, with 66,000 people in attendance.
The West Indies won the toss and chose to field first, and enjoyed early success with the ball, reducing England to 8.2 and then 23/3. Joe Root and Jos Buttler helped dig the English out of the hole, with Root, top scoring for his side with 54. They eventually posted 155/9 from their 20 overs.
Carlos Brathwaite took 3- 23, and Dwayne Bravo 3 – 37 for the West Indies.
England themselves enjoyed early success with the ball, and the West Indies soon were three down with only 11 runs on the board. Marlon Samuel and Bravo then combined, and, after Bravo fell to 25, he then combined with Brathwaite batting at number eight.
The final over
At the start of the final over the West Indies needed 19 runs to win. Ben Stokes was chosen by England captain Eoin Morgan to bowl it because of his ability to deliver Yorkers. The plan, though, backfired, as Brathwaite hit him for four consecutive sixes. Samuels, who had made 85 not out from 66 balls – the highest individual score in a World Cup final – could only watch in admiration from the other end.
The West Indies had won by four wickets, becoming the first, and, to date, only country to win the T20I World Cup twice. Samuels was named Player of the Match in a final for the second time.
Meanwhile, for the second consecutive World Cup, Virat Kohli was named Player of the Tournament.
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