Where now for West Indies cricket after World T20 triumph?

Ben Stokes may not agree, but the West Indies stunning victory against England in the World T20 tournament in India has been hailed as the best thing that could have happened for cricket in general and Caribbean cricket in particular.

The Windies won the final in the most thrilling manner, with Carlos Brathwaite smashing four successive sixes in the last over to rescue what had appeared to be a lost cause and destroy England's hopes of glory.

Set 156 to win, the team struggled with the bat and were left needing an improbable 19 runs off the final over.

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Stokes, usually a nerveless bowler, was given the responsibility of delivering final six balls of the tournament but in the end threw only four, all of which sailed high into the air and over the boundary rope.

"It was a stunning end to a stunning tournament that showcased the best of the modern game - a game in which England played a full part for once," says Michael Atherton in The Times.

"It was a good day for the Caribbean," he adds, with the men's triumph coming hours after the women's team won their competition, beating Australian in the final. "Whether all these achievements mean a revival more generally in the Caribbean is a moot point: Test cricket has declined so far and there does not seem to be a will for a revival in that format across the board.

"At least in this format, West Indies will provide vibrant and competitive teams (just as they have their own vibrant domestic competition) and as the format showed more generally, this is certainly the way forward for the global game."

But victory also highlighted the divisions within the West Indian game. Victorious captain Darren Sammy criticised the West Indies Cricket Board [WICB], who have been locked in a pay dispute with the players, saying it was "very disappointing" that they had not contacted the team to congratulate them.

The West Indies may rule the World of T20 cricket, but they are essentially a breakaway team. Only two of yesterday's players have central contracts from the WICB, meaning they are unlikely to play for the country in any other form of cricket. According to Sammy, 14 of the 15-man squad are not even members of the West Indies Players Association.

The side consists mostly of T20 specialists who travel the world playing different competitions – and, in the eyes of the WICB, neglect their country. The players claim it is the only way they can make a decent living.

However, there were signs of a rapprochement when the WICB chairman, Whycliffe Cameron, offered to sit down with the team after the Indian Premier League competition in which many will be appearing. It was "his most conciliatory message to the players for some time", says Cricinfo.

There was other bridge building going on after the final as commentator Mark Nicholas, who had described the Windies team as "short on brains", issued a full apology after Sammy revealed the comment had enraged his side.

Writing in Cricinfo, the former Hampshire star praised the team and Sammy while offering an "unreserved apology" for a "throwaway line".

"But for all of that, what really matters is that West Indies won," he added. "Of late, the game has been bereft of West Indian style and celebration. It is the most missed story in sport."

He also called for engagement between players and officials. "It would be terrific if the WICB responded in a way that helped mobilise the momentum, enthusiasm and brilliance we saw yesterday in other formats of the game."

Man of the match Marlon Samuels, however, was less charitable. The batsman scored 85 off 66 balls to keep his side in the game, but was fined 30 per cent of his match fee for abusing Stokes during play.

He renewed the attack his post-match press conference, in which he also criticised Australian cricket legend Shane Warne.

"Sitting with his feet on the table, pads still on, [Samuels] had little to no sympathy for Stokes," reports The Guardian. "He then dedicated his man of the match award to Shane Warne. The Australian, working as a commentator at the World T20, has been less than complimentary about the Jamaican."