West Indies defeated Sri Lanka by 36 runs to win the ICC World 2012 Twenty20 last Sunday. West Indies won the toss, batted first and scored 137 runs for six wickets off their 20 overs. Marlon Samuels top-scored with a firery 78 from 56 balls with 6 sixes and 3 fours. Dwayne Bravo scored 19 runs from 19 balls and Captain Darren Sammy 26 runs from 15 balls.
West Indies started badly within the first 10 overs only scoring 38 runs for 2 wickets. Samuels accelerated and boosted the West Indies to 87 for 3 after 15 overs. He hammered away at medium fast bowler Lasith Malinga hitting him for 3 sixes and 2 fours. Malinga bowled four overs for 54 runs without taking a wicket. Ajantha Mendis was the best bowler for Sri Lanka; he took 4 wickets for 12 runs off 4 overs. Angelo Matthews 1 wicket for 11 runs off 4 overs. The Sri Lankan bowlers performed exceptionally well with Malinga the only negative exception. Lasith Malinga probably caused his team the math for the 54 runs he exceeded.
Sri Lanka Bowled Out For 101 Runs
Sri Lanka started badly when Ravi Rampaul uprooted the off-stump of opener Tillokartne Dilshan. Kumar Sangakkar joined Captain Mahela Jayawardene and these two batsmen steadied the innings well before Sangakkara fell for 22 runs off 26 balls. Jayawardene stood up and scored a brave 33 runs off 36 balls. He was given a chance off Samuels when Dwayne Bravo dropped the catch. K. Kula Sekera scored 26 runs from 13 balls. West Indies bowlers were tight and on target throughout the Sri Lankan innings. When Sammy bowled Angelo Matthews that was a big blow to the Sri Lankan batting because he was looked upon as the batsman to stay on with Captain Jayawardene and keep the runs going.
Sunil Narine Took The Challenge
Sunil Narine came into the attack in the 10th over and he took control of the proceedings picking up wickets frequently. Samuel Badree contributed significantly and it was the spinners that took a toll in the Twenty20 series for the West Indies. Overall, the West Indies did very well and the overall performance of the players did it. Narine ended at 3 wickets for 9 runs off 3-4 overs. Samuel Badree 1 wicket for 24 runs off 4 overs, Sammy 2 wickets for 6 runs off 2 overs, Samuels 1 wicket for 15 runs off 4 overs and Rampaul 1 wicket for 31 runs off 3 overs.
Biggest Six
West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels hit the biggest six of the ICC World Twenty20 series. It was a 108-meter shot over longon in the 17th over of the West Indies innings off medium pacer Lasith Malinga. Samuels was named Man of the Match and Shane Watson of Australia, Player of the ICC 2012 Twenty20 Tournament.
West Indies Must Move Ahead
After winning the ICC World Twenty20, 2012 series, the West Indies cricketers must aim on winning the Test status in Test cricket. With proper planning and the correct squad, the West Indies will regain the supremacy at the Test level. The selectors may be well advised to accomodate two spinners at the Test level and avoid any compromise with the specialist bowlers. This win is good for West Indies cricket and the players confidence surely will be enhanced.
