SRI LANKA LOSES THE FINAL

West Indies ICC World 2012 T/20 Champions:

Sri Lanka had to be contended as Runners-Up:

Today West Indies beat Sri Lanka by 36 runs to clinch the ICC World 2012 T/20 winner’s trophy in front of a capacity crowd of around 35,000 spectators at the Premadasa International Cricket Stadium under lights.
In Sri Lanka as usual those who were unable to make it to the grounds to watch the match live were glued to the Television sets at home. Hence the roads were more or less empty devoid of traffic.
After Sri Lanka won the prestigious Cricket’s world cup in 1996, they had participated in four finals in the 50 ‘over’ and T/20 formats. In the World cup final in 2007, we lost to Australia and in the year 2011 world cup final, We lost to India in the 50 over format. We lost in the T/20 final in 2009 and again in today’s T/20 final. West Indies on the hand had not won such an event since 1979 at which time they were unbeatable. However their win today was very special as they won a world cup after 33 long years. Hence for them this victory was historic and their celebrations were very justifiable and appropriate.
The West Indies skipper Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to bat. They lost opener Charles in the fifth ball for a duck, caught behind the bowler when he tried to loft a ball from Kulasekara. The scoring was very slow owing to plans that were made to combat the strong West Indies batting line up. Chris Gayle was not his usual self was leg before wicket to the bowling of Ajantha Mendis in his very first over after scoring just 3 runs in a 16 ball knock.

 Marlon Samuel along with Bravo who scored 19 in as many balls brought some respectability to the total. The former made a scintillating knock of 78 runs in just 56 balls which included three fours and four sixes. At the end of 10 overs the total was an unbelievable 32 runs. The knocks of Samuels, Bravo and skipper Sammy who contributed an unbeaten 22 runs gave the West Indies the opportunity to post a competitive total of 137 for the loss six wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Ajantha Mendis was the most successful bowler having captured 4/12 in his four overs. It was pity that the ‘so called’ world’s best pace bowler in the shortest format of the game Lasith Malinga was subjected to battering by Samuels in particular. He conceded 54 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket.
Sri Lanka needed only 138 runs to clinch the ICC world 2012 world T/20 cup. The swashbuckling Dilshan was clean bowled by Rampal for a duck. His off stump was sent cart wheeling off the ground. Skipper Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara tried their best to consolidate. But runs were difficult to get against the spin attack of the West Indian bowlers. Only Mahela Jayawardena, kumar Sangakkara and Nuwan Kulasekara were able to enter double figures scoring 33, 22 and 26 not out respectively. Angelow Mathews was clean bowled when he tried to sweep .Both Jeewan Mendis and Tissara Perera were foolishly run out trying to take runs which were not there. Another prospect Lahiru Thirimanne was caught in the deep trying to go over to top. All batsmen failed to make an impression other than the three batsmen mentioned above who entered double figures. The Sri Lankans were all out for 101 runs in 18.4 overs. Sunil Narine, the mystery spinner took 3/19 in 3.4 overs. The pathetic batting display made the Sri Lankan to be contented with the runners-up berth in a world cup final once again.
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