New Zealand's Ross Taylor consoled West Indies all-rounder Carlos Braithwaite after he fell down on his knees in dejection following a mistimed pull shot that reached only as far as the hands of long-on fielder Trent Boult and the Calypso Kings were found short of Black Caps' 291/8 at Old Trafford in World Cup 2019 this Saturday (June 22) by just five runs. 

Brathwaite resurrected West Indies' struggling innings from 170/7 with a magnificent ton (101 off 82 balls). It was an innings glint with nine fours and five maximums. Hence, even though he felt devastated on not being able to take his team past the finish line, Taylor, along with New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson and all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, went up to Brathwaite and put an arm around his shoulders. Taylor told him he can be proud of his effort. 

"We were elated but at the end of the day you’re human as well and you’ve got to feel sorry for them. Brathwaite did a fantastic job and we all just said to him at the end, ‘Congratulations on a great knock, keep your head held high because you did your country proud’," said Taylor at the post-game media conference. 

Brathwaite himself acknowledged the wonderful gesture and said, "I appreciate the respect from fellow professionals. It was a little hard to taken then and in hindsight I should have been more welcoming (to the consolations offered by the New Zealand players), but they were very understanding."

Boult, who took that all-important catch to help earn the Kiwis two crucial points, said at the post-match press conference, "It was nice to sniffle it. I thought Carlos was going to tap one and look to take five off the last over. But he looked for the big one. I’m sure he’ll be hurting. But I think a lot of credit is due to him and for getting them in a pretty good position. What a game!"

That gesture was also appreciated by cricket fraternity over social media;

(Inputs from Indian Express)