Samuels’ dig at Warne: I talk with the bat and not on mic

An irate Marlon Samuels has taunted Shane Warne by dedicating his Man of the match award to the Australian spin legend and said he answers with the bat, not the mic. “I woke up this morning with one thing on my mind. Shane Warne has been talking continuously and all I want to say is ‘this is for Shane Warne’. I answer with the bat, not the mic,” said Samuels at the post-match presentation ceremony.

“I played a Test series in Australia (in Januarly 2016) and Shane Warne has a problem with me. Don’t know why. I’ve never disrespected him. It seems that he has a lot inside him that needs to come out.

“I don’t appreciate the way he continues to talk about me and the things that he keeps doing,” said Samuels, who scored an unbeaten 85 off 66 balls to guide his team to a four-wicket win over England in the final.

Samuels-Warne feud was reignited during his semifinal dismissal against India when Warne made some comments from the commentary box.

The duo also had an infamous run-in during the Big Bash in 2013 which continued to Test series earlier this year.

He also took an indirect dig at Warne’s botox face and quipped: “May be my face is real his is not...”

There were words exchanged between Ben Stokes and Samuels before Carlos Brathwaite smacked the English medium pacer for four consecutive sixes in the final over. Samuels said he thrived on the battle with Stokes.

“I keep telling him do not speak to me when we play each other because I’m going to perform. I knew that I had to be right there again. That’s what I thrive on, that’s why I’m around for so long despite so much of ups and downs.” With 19 runs required from last over, Brathwaite, who has been bought by Delhi Daredevils during IPL auction, blasted four sixes and Samuels said keeping cool was the key. “I don’t think I’ve to use much words to explain that. We have done that on many occasions. We believed in ourselves. We believe in each other. When a next player goes out there to bat we believe that he can do it for us. We stay calm. The most important thing is we don’t panic in any situation.