West Indies regained the World Twenty20 title in breathtaking fashion on Sunday as Carlos Brathwaite struck four successive sixes off Ben Stokes in the final over to complete a thrilling four-wicket victory over England.

Marlon Samuels underpinned the Windies' successful chase of 156 at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, the number three making the most of a reprieve on 27 - when he was given out caught behind only to be called back - to make 85 from 66 balls and beat his own record for the highest score in a World T20 final.

Yet England, for whom Joe Root and David Willey excelled with bat and ball, were strong favourites when Chris Jordan gave up just seven runs in the penultimate over to leave 19 needed from the last.

That equation was dealt with in the most decisive fashion by all-rounder Brathwaite (34 not out from 10), who swung Stokes' first delivery high over deep backward square before clearing the ropes at long-on and long-off to leave Eoin Morgan men's stunned.

Another maximum rounded off a sensational finale and enabled West Indies, whose women also claimed World T20 glory earlier in the day, to become the first two-time champions of this event.

England were reduced to 23-3 after being invited to bat first, but Root compiled a classy 36-ball 54 to underpin a recovery and there were also significant contributions from Jos Buttler (36) and Willey (21) in a total of 155-6.

Root then made an unexpected impact with the ball, removing Johnson Charles and dangerman Chris Gayle in the space of three deliveries having been called upon to bowl the second over of the Windies' reply.

Left-armer Willey also impressed with 3-20 from four overs and Adil Rashid (1-23) was similarly economical as the required run-rate rose.

However, Samuels paced his innings beautifully, sharing 75 with Dwayne Bravo to lead a recovery from 11-3 and then accelerating in the closing stages before Brathwaite took centre stage.