ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2019

Almost thought 'Remember the Name' tag was a curse: Brathwaite

by Kaushik Rangarajan • Last updated on

"I'm beginning to bring slightly more consistency so I'm happy with that. It's all part of the process and the journey" - Brathwaite © Getty

In a way, the 2019 World Cup and the heartbreak of Manchester has had a cathartic influence on Carlos Brathwaite. For a good portion of the last three years, the 30-year-old all-rounder has had to live with the burden of his "Remember The Name" moment, when he hit Ben Stokes for four sixes in the final over to win West Indies the ICC World T20 in 2016.

Having been immortalised so early into his career - both by the gravity of his feat and the famous eulogy on air by Ian Bishop - Brathwaite struggled to move beyond his perceived Everest and kick on with his game. So much so, that he managed only five half-centuries from 158 innings post those four sixes. His Manchester masterclass against New Zealand, when he brought West Indies within five runs of victory from a near-impossible position with a scarcely believable century, and his nine wickets at 35.88 over the World Cup may have finally enabled him to turn a leaf over from Kolkata, 2016.

Brathwaite admitted to being weighed down by the tag and revealed that he worked with Steve Slyvester, former Middlesex cricketer-turned sports psychologist, to help him unlock his potential once more.

"I think it's about firstly accepting the 'Remember The Name' tag," Brathwaite said. "I think I shied away from it a bit. I almost thought it was a curse. It was about accepting that what I did will be remembered for a long time, accepting that I had the privilege of doing it, you know just I guess adorn all the good messages, all the admiration I've received on the streets and on social media.

"Because when I do poorly there'll be the other side as well. So I've accepted it and am actually comfortable to hear it again, it's put that to rest in a way and I'm able to crack on my career and take care of the small processes that eventually turns into positive or negative results. I always thought I had it in control. Evidently, it didn't. I guess it was the expectations that weighed me down a bit. I didn't have the performances I wanted to. But I found ways to deal with it an hopefully the performances in this World Cup can be a springboard to a long a successful career."

Captain Jason Holder has been a vocal advocate of Brathwaite's off-the-ground work ethics, stating that he wasn't surprised one bit by his teammate's ability to summon an innings like the one he did in Manchester. Brathwaite himself put his "not too bad" World Cup campaign down to his processes. "I think people will remember the name in the right vein. I work very hard off the field, in the gym, out of the gym, on the park or off it.

"So I can only control what I can control. Obviously it hasn't always turned to fruition when results are concerned. But you know I think I'm an honest cricketer and eventually, the results will show. So I don't think I had too bad of a World Cup. Obviously would have loved to have a better world cup, lead us into few more wins and into the final four. But that wasn't to be, so just giving thanks for the performances that we did have."

He did, however, admit that the narrow defeat against New Zealand and his decision to hit a six off the last bowl of the penultimate over as opposed to taking a single had given him sleepless nights heading into the next game. "I guess at that time I was obviously upset that we didn't get the over the line. But I didn't really understand the magnitude of the emotions. I had a few sleepless nights before the India game... should I have gone for a single, should I have gone for a six.

"I guess it comes with the territory. I'm happy to get an international century. It's been a long journey and I'm happy with the technique and process I'm using now. I'm beginning to bring slightly more consistency so I'm happy with that. It's all part of the process and the journey."

© Cricbuzz

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