Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene signed off their Twenty20 international careers guiding Sir Lanka to their maiden ICC World Twenty20 title, beating former champions India by six wickets at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here Sunday.
India couldn't stop the two Sri Lankan legends from ending their Twenty20 international careers on a high note despite heroics from Virat Kohli, who starred again with a fine 77 off 58 balls as the 2007 champions struggled to get 130 for four in 20 overs. Kohli was also adjudged Man of the Tournament.
Sangakkara struck a match-winning 52 off 35 balls while Jayawardene made a run-a-ball 24 as Sri Lanka cruised to 134 for four with 13 balls to spare. Thisara Perera, 23 not out from 14 balls, finished off the match in style with a four. Sangakkara was declared Man of the Match.
The two Sri Lankan stalwarts, who have played 14 years of international cricket together, were then given a grand farewell by their team mates, who carried them on their shoulders around the packed stadium.
It was an otherwise clinical performance by the Sri Lankans and the win was sweet revenge for their loss to India in the 2011 World Cup ODI final in Mumbai. It was also Sri Lanka's first ICC World Cup win after a series of four losses in the finals. They lost the 2007 and the 2011 50-over World Cups and the 2009 and the 2012 Twenty20 World Cups.
Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Lasith Malinga was bang on target as he opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Indians were done in by their inability to rotate strike and some smart death bowling by Malinga (1/23) and Nuwan Kulasekara (1/29) as they surprisingly managed just 19 runs in the last four overs.
Besides Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane (29) and Yuvraj Singh (11) were the only other Indian batsmen who could get to double figures. But it was painstaking batting by Yuvraj, who took 21 balls for his 11, that tilted the match in favour of Sri Lanka. Even skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni remained unbeaten on four runs for seven balls.
Kohli, who had smashed Kulasekara for 16 runs with a four and two sixes in the 16th over, got just seven strikes in the last four overs to make matters worse for India.
Both Malinga and Kulasekara bowled full and wide making it tough for the Indian batsmen to reach for them. Malinga expectedly bowled a fine final over giving away a mere four runs to leave the Indians disappointed.
It was a perfect game for Sri Lanka, says Dhoni
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni Sunday admitted that his batsmen couldn't execute the plans well in the last four overs against Sri Lanka in the final of the ICC World Twenty20 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here Sunday.
"In the middle overs, our batsmen tried our best to get going, but we couldn't convert the good start," said Dhoni, after India's six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the final.
Indians were done in by their inability to rotate strike and some smart death bowling by Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga (1/23) and Nuwan Kulasekara (1/29) as they surprisingly managed just 19 runs in the last four overs.
"We could have always got those 10-15 runs, but cricket is about those runs. The last four overs they executed their plans very well and for our side that doesn't play scoops well, that worked for them. Malinga with that slingy action kept bowling it wide. It was a perfect game for them," said Dhoni.
Virat Kohli was the stand out performer again for India with a fine 77 off 58 balls as the 2007 champions struggled to get 130 for four in 20 overs. Kohli was also adjudged Man of the Tournament.
Dhoni lauded Kohli for his consistent performance and said the Delhi boy has a bright future ahead of him.
"Virat has been brilliant in the last few years. He is someone who makes most of the opportunity. The good thing is that he plays authentic shots and still scores runs. He is got a bright future ahead of them," he said.
Sangakkara, Jayawardene happy to break the jinx
Cricketing stalwarts Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were finally relieved as they finished their Twenty20 International careers with Sri Lanka breaking the jinx by winning the ICC World T20 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here Sunday.
The World Twenty20 win here for Sri Lanka came after a series of losses in four ICC World Cup events. Sangakkkara and Jayawardene, both former skippers, were a part of the Sri Lankan side that lost the 2007 and the 2011 50-over World Cups and the 2009 and the 2012 Twenty20 World Cups.
Sangakkara and Jayawardene, who have played 14 years of international cricket together, admitted that the win was sweeter as they had to wait for five ICC finals. The win was also a sweet revenge for their loss to India in the 2011 World Cup ODI final in Mumbai.
"It's been a long time coming.. Waited five finals. Pretty happy I was able to do something for our team," said Sangakkara, who was adjudged Man of the Match, for his match-winning unbeaten 52.
Jayawardene said Sri Lanka have been waiting for this title desperately since their last World Cup win came in 1996. They had shared the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002 with India after final was washed out twice due to rains.
"We finally managed to break the jinx. Thanks so much to family and friends but this one is for Sri Lankan fans who have been waiting since 1996. It wasn't a normal match. Lot of emotions as this was the last T20. It hasn't sunk in yet and it will take a couple of days to get the feeling," he said.
The two legends were then given a grand farewell by their team mates, who carried them on their shoulders around the packed stadium.
Sangakkara said it was a humbling experience for both him and Jayawardene.
"It means a lot to all of us. We are very humbled by this. The way (Virat) Kohli was batting, he was about to take the game away from us, but the way we bowled was brilliant.
"It was an all-round performance, led by Lasith (Malinga), Angelo (Matthews) had an amazing tournament. India are a tough side, but we are happy to be in the winning side. My family and playing for Sri Lanka are the two most important things that happened to me in my life. Everyone's got to go and my time is now," he said.
World T20 scoreboard: India vs Sri Lanka, Final
Following is the scoreboard of the World Twenty20 final between India and Sri Lanka at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here Sunday.
India:
Rohit Sharma c Senanayake b Herath 29
Ajinkya Rahane b Mathews 3
Virat Kohli run out (Senanayake) 77
Yuvraj Singh c Perera b Kulasekara 11
Mahendra Singh Dhoni not out 4
Extras (b 2, lb 2, w 2) 6
Total: (for four wickets in 20 overs) 130
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Rahane, 1.3 overs), 2-64 (Rohit, 10.3), 3-119 (Yuvraj, 18.1), 4-130 (Kohli, 19.6)
Bowling:
Nuwan Kulasekara 4-0-29-1
Angelo Mathews 4-0-25-1
Sachithra Senanayake 4-0-22-0
Lasith Malinga 4-0-27-0
Rangana Herath 4-0-23-1
Sri Lanka:
Kusal Perera c Jadeja b M Sharma 5
Tillakaratane Dilshan c Kohli b Ashwin 18
Mahela Jayawardene c Ashwin b Raina 24
Kumar Sangakkara not out 52
Lahiru Thirimanne c Dhoni b Mishra 7
Thisara Perera not out 21
Extras (lb 2, w 3) 5
Total: (for four wickets in 17.5 overs) 132
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Perera, 1.1 overs), 2-41 (Dilshan, 5.5), 3-65 (Jayawardene, 9.5), 4-78 (Thirimanne, 12.3)
Bowling:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-0-18-0
Mohit Sharma 2-0-18-1
Ravichandran Ashwin 3.5-0-27-1
Amit Mishra 4-0-32-1
Suresh Raina 4-0-24-1
Ravindra Jadeja 1-0-11-0
Match details:
Toss: Sri Lanka chose to field
Umpires: Ian Gould (England) and Richard Kettleborough (England)
TV umpire: Rod Tucker (Australia)
Match referee: David Boon (Australia)
Reserve umpire: Bruce Oxenford (Australia)
