Ian Bishop has revealed how the origin for his iconic ‘Remember the name’ commentary line, inseparable from Carlos Brathwaite’s incredible heist to win West Indies the 2016 World T20 final, was originally uttered, in slightly altered form, two days before that unforgettable night.
As Brathwaite struck Ben Stokes for a fourth consecutive six to win West Indies that global event from nowhere, Bishop located an instant classic to accompany it.
“Carlos Brathwaite! Carlos Brathwaite! Remember the name!” is a phrase that any cricket fan will be able to repeat, as the former West Indies quick gave one of his past side’s greatest victories the salutation it deserved.
However, he has now explained how the line was birthed two days before it became immortal, rather than being an off-the-cuff moment of genius.
“I went to a function hosted by a friend of mine two days before the final,” Bishop told BetWay. “And one of the questions posed was which players we should look forward to watching in the final, beyond the obvious guys like Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo. Carlos Brathwaite came to my mind because in that World Cup he’d been bowling well and he could smack the ball. I said to the guy: ‘Carlos Brathwaite is a good all-round cricketer, remember that name.’ When he hit the final six, the first thing that regurgitated was what I’d said to that gentleman.”
Bishop says he has in the past been embarrassed to talk about the line.
“It’s actually embarrassing to talk about it,” he said. “I’ve got a bit more relaxed about it now, but for two or three years after that I ducked questions on it because it just sounded like nothing to me. Honestly, no line is really great unless the action on the field justifies it.”
He also discussed his commentary philosophy, which has made him one of the most respected pundits in the game currently.
“Virat Kohli said recently that if you aim for Test-match cricket and play Test-match cricket, you should be able to cross over into other formats of the game,” he said. “He was talking about one or two of his bowlers, but I actually think that the same applies to broadcasting. If you understand the fundamentals, it gives you a foundation.
“I love the game. I’m very open to research and talking to guys who played T20, and I think I’ve learned a lot about it by covering it so often. As a player, I always wanted to do better. My wife used to give me a hard time when I got a five-fer, for example, because, instead of celebrating it, I would be thinking about how I can get the next one. It’s ingrained in me.”
