An inspired West Indies tonight clinched the ICC World Twenty20 crown with a comfortable 36-run victory over Sri Lanka, riding on Marlon Samuels’ brilliant counter-attacking knock to win a major global title after over three decades.
Batting first in front a 35,000 partisan crowd, Samuels held his nerve as he smashed a heroic 78 off 56 balls to steer West Indies to 137 for six and then the Caribbeans shot out out the hosts for 101 in 18.4 overs.
It is the West Indies’ first world title after a gap of 33 years having won the ODI World Cup back in 1979. They did triumph in the Champions Trophy in 2004, but that is not considered a World Cup.
For Sri Lanka and Mahela Jayawardene, it was another case of ‘so-near-yet-so-far’ having now lost four World Cup finals (two 50 overs and two T20s) across two categories.
After Lasith Malinga was caught in the deep, Darren Sammy and his bunch of dedicated soldiers broke into an impromptu Gangnam dance as there was a deathly silence at the R Premadasa Stadium.
Samuels played one of the most memorable innings under pressure as he thumped five of his half a dozen of sixes off
T20 specialist Lasith Malinga’s bowling, making batting look easy on a pitch where almost every other batsmen struggled.
A wicket was like icing on the cake as he deservedly won the Man-of-the-Match award. The win was more creditable as
Chris Gayle, who has been in marauding form prior to the title clash, failed.
Samuels alone spoiled Malinga’s figures as he went for 54 off four overs after Ajantha Mendis took 4/12.
While only 32 runs came off the first 10 overs, the Caribbeans, courtesy Samuels and skipper Darren Sammy (26 no,
15 balls, 3×4) managed 106 in the back 10.
The total might not have been a challenging one but the manner in which Samuels batted, having scored more than half the runs, the innings will be remembered for a long time to come especially as other West Indian batsmen looked like lambs ready to be slaughtered.
A spirited West Indies lifted their maiden World Twenty20 trophy with a brilliant 36-run win over hosts Sri Lanka in the final at the Premedasa Stadium here Sunday.
West Indies bowled out Sri Lanka for 101 runs with eight balls to spare to lift a World Cup trophy after 33 years and an International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy after a gap of eight years.
West Indies’ last win in an ICC tournament was in the Champions Trophy in 2004 and their last world title was the 50-over World Cup in 1979.
On Sunday, much was expected from Chris Gayle, who has been in a terrific form in the tournament, to break West Indies’ long wait for a world title. But Gayle (3) disappointed by departing early as the West Indies made a slow start after skipper Darren Sammy opted to bat.
However, it was a brilliant 56-ball 78 by Marlon Samuels that took the Caribbean side to a modest 137 for six in 20 overs. Samuels was also adjudged as Man of the Match.
Sri Lanka made a poor start and despite valuable efforts from skipper Mahela Jayawardene (33) and Kumar Sangakkara (22) they suffered a middle-order collapse before being bundled out for 101 runs with eight balls to spare.
For Sri Lanka it was their fourth loss in the final of a major tournament. Jayawardene and Sangakkara have been part of all the four losses, 2007 World Cup, 2009 and 2012 World T20 and 2011 World Cup.
Spinner Sunil Narine was the pick of the Caribbean bowlers picking three for nine and skipper Darren Sammy got two for six.
Chasing 138, the hosts lost Tillekaratne Dilshan in the second over after he was squared up by a brilliant delivery from Ravi Rampaul (1/31) as the off-stump went cartwheeling towards the skipper.
Jayawardene and Sangakkara tried to resurrect the innings with their 42-run stand for the second wicket. But after Samuel Badree struck to remove Sangakkara with Kieron Pollard taking a low catch in the deep, Sri Lanka suffered a massive collapse.
From 48 for two, Sri Lanka lost the remaining eight wickets for just 52 runs. Nuwan Kulasekara came up with a cameo of 13-ball 26 but it came too late.
Earlier, West Indies made a poor and a slow start with both Johnson Charles and Gayle (3) back in the pavilion inside six overs for just 14 runs on board.
But Samuels stayed on and took his time before launching him into the Sri Lankan bowling attack. Samuels smashed six sixes and three fours in his 56-ball innings.
Samuels and Dwayne Bravo (14) were involved in a 59-run stand for the third wicket that helped the West Indies recover from a poor start.
Having scored just 32 runs in the first 10 overs, West Indies managed 106 in the last 10 thanks to the late charge by Sammy, who remained unbeaten on 26 from 15 balls.
Samuel’s six of the five sixes came off speedster Lasith Malinga, who conceded 54 runs off his four overs. Ajantha Mendis returned figures of four for 12.
—————PTI