Eoin Morgan: England will 'share the pain' amid Ben Stokes' torment in World T20

Eoin Morgan: England will 'share the pain' amid Ben Stokes' torment in World T20 final

EOIN MORGAN insisted his England side would not let Ben Stokes take all the blame for losing the World T20 Final after his final-over meltdown handed the title to West Indies.

By GIDEON BROOKS IN KOLKATA
PUBLISHED: 06:30, Mon, Apr 4, 2016 | UPDATED: 07:44, Mon, Apr 4, 2016


West Indies' Carlos Brathwaite smashed four 6s off the final over to leave Eoin Morgan heartbroken
Stokes had his first four balls hit for six by Carlos Brathwaite as he failed to defend 19 runs in the final over, West Indies winning by four wickets with two balls to spare at Eden Gardens.

However the England captain insisted not only that they will get over the agony but that it will be the start of "something very special".

"Cricket can be a cruel game and quite simply Ben is going to be devastated. It will take its toll over the next couple of days but we share everything that we do," said the England captain.

"We stick together as a side, we share the pain and we share the success. You can say what you like to him at the moment but he's probably not hearing it.

Express Sport brings you the best pictures from Kolkata as England take on the West Indies in the T20 World Cup final


Ben Stokes is distraught as England are beaten by the West Indies in the Twenty20 World Cup final, with Carlos Brathwaite hitting four sixes in the final over to snatch victory

"But I personally think we will, this side is at the very beginning of its progression in white ball cricket and it's actually frightening to think what we can do if we achieve our potential."

He added: "I have a huge amount of talent to play with and let's hope we can keep this group of players together and look forward to the future."

Stokes was clearly appreciative of that backing, later tweeting: "Overwhelmed by all the support of everyone after a disappointing last over.....So proud to of represented my country in a World Cup final."

However his mood will not improve when he hears the comments from unbeaten batsman and man of the match Marlon Samuels, whose fractious relationship the England all-rounder stretches back to England's Test tour of the Caribbean in April of last year.


Samuels chose the moment of victory to stick the knife into Stokes's already tender flanks branding him a "nervous lad" who does not learn.

"I keep telling him him when he plays against me, do not speak to me because I'm going to perform," said the batsman. "I didn't even face a ball and he had so much to say to me that I know I had to be right there at the end, again."

He added: "Stokes is a nervous laddie, so what I tell Braithwaite is to just hold his pose, and he's going to bowl a couple of full tosses, as always, and it will work in our favour. And he played a brilliant knock at the end there to give me a little break down at the other end."

Samuels also had time to poke fun at Shane Warne with whom he has had a spat since clashing in the Big Bash of 2013 and who has been critical of him during this tournament.

Dedicating his man of the match award to the former leg spinner, Samuels said: "Every team I play for he has a problem with me. I don't know why. Maybe it's because my face is real and his face is not."