After a sensational performance throughout the tournament, Indian team kept their worst performance for the last as Sri Lanka ended their 18-year trophy drought by clinching a six-wicket win in the 2014 T20 World Cup Final.
After a sensational performance throughout the tournament, Indian team kept their worst performance for the last as Sri Lanka ended their 18-year trophy drought by clinching a six-wicket win in the 2014 T20 World Cup Final.
Despite Man of the Tournament, Virat Kohli’s belligerent 77, the match was lost when out of form Yuvraj Singh managed just 11 off 21 painstaking balls that left India with a very modest score 130 for four in 20 overs. Also, credit must be given to Sri Lanka and their bowlers as they stuck to a perfect line in the final overs as the likes of Kohli and Dhoni could even manage a boundary.
The Lankan Lions became third time lucky in the World T20 summit clash while Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s dream to win a record third World title lay in tatters as his team faltered when it mattered the most. The Islanders did face few anxious moments in the early stages of the chase but eventually overhauled the target with 13 balls to spare.Eventually it turned out to be a ‘fitting finale’ for the two retiring legends of Sri Lankan cricket as former skippers, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara certainly made it a ‘farewell to remember’ as the champions ended their T20 careers with a memorable triumph.
Mahela’s 24 might have been a cameo which set the tempo but it was Sangakkara who anchored it to perfection with an unbeaten 52. He again proved to be a thorn in the flesh for the Indians as he chose the final of the tournament to claw his way back to form after indifferent first five matches.
The Final swung in Sri Lanka’s favour in the 15th over in which Thisara Perera (17 no) chanced his arms to hit Amit Mishra over long-on while Sangakkara swept him fine to get a boundary. 15 runs came off that over and the match was as good as over by then.
As far as India is concerned, they will be satisfied with the performance upto the Final. Besides Virat Kohli, the return of Amit Mishra to form might give MS Dhoni a selection headache in the coming games.
