Sri Lanka emerged the champions of the ICC World Twenty20 Cricket when the islanders beat favourites India by six wickets in the final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday.Sent into bat first, India scored 130 for the loss of four wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.In reply, Sri Lanka reached the winning spot making 134 for the loss of four wickets with remaining 13 balls.Ace batsman Kumar Sangakkara shone with the willow making a match-winning 52. His unbeaten 35-ball knock was laced with six fours and a six.Sangakkara retired from this shortest version cricket meet playing a glorious innings.TM Dilshan and Thisara Perera scored 24 and 21 (not out) respectively.Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Ashin, Suresh Raina and Amit Mishra took one wicket apiece.Earlier, India made a shaky start losing their first wicket for four runs.Then Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli repaired the early damage adding together 60 runs in the second wicket stand before Rohit Sharma was caught at the short cover by Sachitra Senanayake off Rangana Herath when India’s total was 64 for the loss of two wickets. After the dismissal of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh put on together 55 runs for the third wicket partnership before Yuvraj Singh was caught by Thisara Perera off Nuwan Kulasekara when India’s total was 119 for the loss of five wickets. Virat Kohli hit a terrific 77. His 58-ball hurricane innings was studded with four over boundaries and five boundaries. It was Kohli’s eighth half century in his Twenty20 International campaign. Virat Kohli was unfortunately run out by a direct throw of Senanayake when India’s innings came to an end.Rohit Shrma made 29 off 26 balls with three fours.Rangana Herath, Angelo Mathews and Nuwan Kulasekara took one wicket each for 23, 25 and 29 runs respectively.Kumar Sangakkara was adjudged the Man of the Match.
