Windies claim World T20 title

West Indies have been crowned World
T20 champions following a 36-run
victory over hosts Sri Lanka in
Colombo.
The Windies were slow out of the
blocks. Opener Johnson Charles
departed without scoring. Chris Gayle
was expected to accelerate the scoring,
but he was trapped lbw by Ajantha
Mendis after just three runs from 13
deliveries.
Samuels provided some fireworks in
the 13th over when he smashed fast
bowler Lasith Malinga for three sixes,
taking the visitors to 69-2.
Samuels' partnership with Dwayne
Bravo (17) ended when the latter was
deemed lbw from the bowling of
Ajantha Mendis, who finished the
innings with four wickets.
Samuels finally departed on 78 from 56
balls while a useful knock from captain
Darren Sammy (26) helped the West
indies claw their weay to a respectable
if hardly intimidating 137-6.
But Sri Lanka made an inauspicious
start to their reply, with opener
Tillakaratne Dilshan bowled by Ravi
Rampaul, before captain Mahela
Jayawardene steadied the ship, albeit
at a mournful run-rate.
West Indies' second breakthrough
came in the 10th over when Kumar
Sangakkara (22) holed out to Pollard in
the deep off the bowling of Samuel
Badree. Angelo Mathews (1) was
bowled by Sammy soon after.
Jayawardene's exit via a reverse sweep
sparked a Sri Lanka collapse as the
required run-rate spiralled. Jeevan
Mendis (3) and Thisara Perera (3) were
both run out before Lahiru Thirimanne
was caught in the deep.
Nuwan Kulasekara's late flurry gave Sri
Lanka hope of an improbable
comeback, although when he fell for
26 so did their chances of success in
front of a stunnwed and now almost
silent home crowd.