Stokes reveals Samuels' brutal World T20 sledge

Ben Stokes has slammed Marlon Samuels in his new autobiography, revealing what the West Indian said to him during the final of the T20 World Cup.

The pair have been rivals ever since Samuels gave Stokes a salute send-off in a Test match in 2015.

Things then stepped up a notch in the final of the World T20 with both men playing key roles, Samuels scoring an unbeaten 85 and Stokes hit for four successive sixes in the final over by Carlos Brathwaite to hand the West Indies their second World Twenty20 title.

Samuels was fined 30 per cent of his match fee for abusive language before calling Stokes out at the post-match press conference.

"Stokes is a nervous laddie...he doesn't learn," he said with his feet up on the table still wearing his batting pads.

But six months later the Englishman has hit back in his autobiography – 'Firestarter: Me, Cricket and the Heat of the Moment' – published in the Daily Mail.

"Marlon Samuels lacks respect. You get that if you have spent any time with him on a cricket field. Marlon's conduct after West Indies' victory over us in this year's World Twenty20 final showed a total disrespect for the game.

"Without removing his batting pads, Marlon walked into a press conference, sat down and placed his feet on the desk. Totally lacking manners.

"It didn't require him to give me a character assassination – bizarrely claiming I am some sort of 'nervous laddie' – to help me form the opinion that I do not like him one bit. I believe in the saying 'respect the game'. I don't think he respects the game.

"Yes, he played an unbelievable innings but, because of our personal history, it stops me short of saying he's a good player. Team players are the good players in my eyes."

Stokes also revealed the stunning sledge that earned Samuels his fine.

"I was at mid-off and, in my enthusiasm, found myself creeping in from my position and I noticed that Samuels, at the non-striker's end, was walking around like the big easy. I couldn't resist. 'You've got a bit of a swagger on here, Marlon, considering you're 14 for three,' I said. 'Shut the f*** up, you little b***h,' came the reply."