On This Day: Sri Lanka beat India to win ICC World Twenty20 2014 in Dhaka

Sri Lanka beat India to win ICC World Twenty20: A comprehensive bowling performance powered Sri Lanka to their maiden T20 World Cup title.

On this day in 2014, Sri Lanka became the fifth country to lift the ICC World Twenty20 trophy as they registered their maiden title victory in the format on the back of defeating India by 6 wickets in Dhaka.

With the then regular captain Dinesh Chandimal serving a suspension due to slow over rate, vice-captain Lasith Malinga led Sri Lanka in the final match.

The experienced fast bowler’s decision of winning the toss and electing to field proved successful as the Sri Lankan bowlers restricted India to a below par 130/4 in 20 overs.

Having scored his eighth T20I half-century, Kohli top-scored for India with his 77 (58) with the help of five fours and four sixes. However, all other Indian batsmen failing to get going never really provided them with the much-needed momentum.

The match is particularly remembered for India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh struggling big time in the slog overs. Looking out-of-sorts with the bat, the southpaw scored 11 (21) before getting out in the penultimate over.

While spinner Rangana Herath, all-rounder Angelo Mathews and seamer Nuwan Kulasekara picked a wicket apiece, each one of them containing the Indian batsmen was the key for them.

Chasing a 131-run target, Sri Lanka did lose wickets at regular intervals but veteran wicket-keeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara’s eighth T20I half-century was the glue which kept their innings intact.

Sangakkara, then 36, scored 52* (35) with the help of six fours and a six to seal the chase in the 18th over. It is worth mentioning that both Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene (24) retired from the format after winning the World Cup. The pair stitched a brief 24-run stand for the third wicket before Jayawardene got out to India’s Suresh Raina in the 10th over.

Sri Lanka beat India to win ICC World Twenty20

For more cricket-related news, click here.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

Read More