February 11, 2026 03:59 am (IST)
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Sri Lanka lift maiden World T20 crown
Mirpur, Apr 6 (IBNS): Riding on Kumar Sangakkara's unbeaten 52, Sri Lanka thrashed India by six wickets to lift their first World T20 title here on Sunday.
Chasing India's modest 130 for four, Sri Lanka reached 134 runs by losing four wickets with balls to spare.
Indian pacer Mohit Sharma gave his side early break through by taking the wicket of Kusal Perera (5).
Tillakaratne Dilshan (18) and Mahela Jayawardene (24) stabilised the innings by adding 36 runs in the second wicket partnership.
India, however, made a brief return into the game by picked up wickets of Dishan, Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne (7).
Kumar Sangakkara, who played his last International T20 match, played a memorable knock of unbeaten 52 runs and joined a 54-run stand with Thisara Perera (23*) to clinch the trophy.
Sangakkara, who was adjudged the 'Man of the Match' hit six boundaries and a six in his 35-ball knock while Perera smashed a boundary and two huge sixes in his innings that helped his side win the World Cup after a gap of 18 years when they won the 50-over World Cup in 1996.
Perera hit a boundary in R Ashwin's fifth ball in the 18th over to reach the target.
Jayawardene also played his last T20 International on Sunday.
Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene made a successful end to their T20 International careers on a shining note by helping their country lift the World Cup (including the 50-over format) for the second time.
Sangakkara said: "I am happy to be a part of such a great side and win the World Cup."
R Ashwin Suresh Raina, Mohit Sharma and Amit Mishra picked up one wickets each for India.
Earlier, India posted 130 for four in their 20 overs.
Maintaining his good form from semi-finals of the tournament, Virat Kohli shined again with his willow and smashed 58-ball 77. His knock included five boundaries and four sixes.
India made a poor start by losing the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane (3) and the second over the innings.
Kohli and Rohit Sharma (29) added 60 runs in the second wicket partnership.
Kohli again joined Yuvraj Singh (11) for a 55-run stand in the third wicket partnership to develop the innings further.
Nuwan Kulasekara, Angelo Mathews and Rangana Herath picked up a wicket each for Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan bowlers, including skipper Lasith Malinga bowled brilliantly in the last few overs, to keep Indian scorecard at 130
MS Dhoni's men had defeated the same side in the 50-over World Cup to lift the trophy in 2011.
However, Dhoni's aim of winning the World Cup for the third time remained unfulfilled this time while Sri Lanka finally won a ICC final after losing in the last four occasion including the World T20 final in Sri Lanka in 2012.
India had performed brilliantly in the tournament and won all the matches before being defeated in the final by the neighbours.
Kohli, who scored 319 runs in the series, was adjudged the 'Player of the Tournament'.
He said: "I am pleased that the team reached the final and happy to contribute in all of the matches."
"We will learn a lot from the tournament and come back stronger in the next season," he said.
Indian captain MS Dhoni, under whose leadership the country had lifted the inaugural World T20 in 2007, said: "It was a perfect game for the Sri Lankan team. We were 10 to 15 runs short."
Brief scorecard:
India: 130 for four in 20 overs (V Kohli 77; R herath 23-1)
Sri Lanka: 134 for four in 20 overs (K Sangakkara no; R Ashwin 29-1, S Raina 24-1)
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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