Flashback: T20 World Cup 2014 final – Sri Lanka overcome India

Bangladesh hosted the fifth edition of the ICC T20 World Cup tournament with India and Sri Lanka clashing in the final. Sri Lanka suffered heart-breaking defeats in the finals of the 2009 and 2012 editions and once again reach the last stage under the leadership of Lasith Malinga. Sri Lanka topped the group stages and beat West Indies in the first semi-final clash to book a spot in the finals.

India, champions of the first edition, were disappointing in the previous three tournaments but put in impressive all-round performances to reach the finals for the second time. India won all of their four group-stage fixtures and then registered a big win over South Africa in the second semi-final to reach the finals.

Malinga won the toss and invited India to bat first at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur in the summit clash of 2012 edition. Angelo Matthews bowled out Ajinkya Rahane on just three runs in the second over of the innings to give Sri Lanka a flying start. But Rohit Sharma and in-form Virat Kohli formed a crucial 60-run partnership for the second wicket to put India on a track for a big total.

Kohli smashed 77 runs off 58 balls but India managed to score only 130/4 in 20 overs after impressive bowling spells from Sri Lankan pacers. Nuwan Kulasekara, Angelo Matthews, and Rangana Herath took one wicket each but captain Malinga failed to take any.

India also started well with pacer Mohit Sharma taking Kusal Perera’s wicket in the second over. But Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene put a small but crucial 36-run partnership for the second wicket. Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Dilshan in the sixth over to break the partnership and Suresh Raina took Jayawardene’s valuable wicket in the tenth over to bring India back into the game.

Amit Mishra dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne on just seven runs in the tenth over to put India in the driving seat. But the legendary wicketkeeper batter Kumar Sangakkara formed an unbeaten match-winning 56-run partnership for the fifth wicket to guide Sri Lanka to a historic first-ever T20 World Cup title win.

Sangakkara, playing in his final T20I career game, smashed unbeaten 52 runs off 36 balls with the help of six fours and one six to win the player of the match award. India’s Virat Kohli won the player of the series award for scoring 319 runs in just six innings.