West Indies team lifted the World Cup Trophy after 33 years today when they defeated host Sri Lanka by 36 runs at the match played at R Premadasa Stadium.

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first but J Charles got out on the 5th ball of the innings, the star Chris Gayle also failed and scored just 3 runs off 16 balls. Sri Lankan bowlers looked totally in control but M Samuels the changed the game for West Indies. He single handily took the game out of Sri Lankan bowlers as he scored 78 off just 56 balls with 3 fours and 6 sixes. It was his brilliant innings which helped West Indies post a total of 137/6 in 20 overs.

Sri Lanka needed 138 to win and it looked quite achievable. But the wicket of T Dilshan for a duck left Sri Lanka at 6/1 in 1.1 overs. M Jayawardene and K Sangakkara then steadied the innings as the duo added 42 runs before Sangakkara got out. This wicket provided West Indies bowler the window they needed and then they striked one after the other and reduced Sri Lanka to 69/7 in 14.3 overs. Kulasekara then showed some resistance but that was not enough to resist Caribbean bowlers as finally they bowled out Sri Lanka for 101/10 in 18.4 overs.

Match Highlights
West Indies innings
West Indies: 50 runs in 12.2 overs (74 balls), Extras 4
MN Samuels: 50 off 46 balls (1 x 4, 4 x 6)
West Indies: 100 runs in 16.4 overs (100 balls), Extras 4

Sri Lanka innings
Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 9.5 overs (59 balls), Extras 1
Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 17.4 overs (107 balls), Extras 3

Match 27- Final T20 world Cup – Sri Lanka vs West Indies Scorecard

Batting Scorecard – West Indies

Batting Scoreboard – Sri Lanka

The stage is all set after 3 weeks of super cricket and now the final will be played between host Sri Lanka and West Indies at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Both teams have shown superb cricket so far and the trophy will go to the one who will hold on to the nerves in the Super Sunday game. If West Indies win, it will be the end of 33 year long wait for the World Cup (T20 or ODI)

Sri Lanka who will be banking on its spinners will need a special plan to curtail Chris Gayle. Gayle who showed how devastating he can be in the semi final game against Australia will be the priced wicket for Sri Lanka. West Indies strength will be the explosive batting line up where as Sri Lanka will be hoping that this time in their home ground, the spinners help them lift the trophy.

Needless to say, the final is expected to be a real entertainer as both the teams are evenly balanced. Whoever shall win, it will be the victory of cricket in the T20 World Cup 2012.

Sri Lanka Squad for T20 World Cup 2012: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Angelo Mathews, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dilshan Munaweera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Shaminda Eranga, Dinesh Chandimal and Akhila Dhananjaya.

West Indies Squad for T20 World Cup 2012: Darren Sammy (captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice captain), Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Samuel Badree, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin and Dwayne Smith.

Don’t forget to bookmark www.t20worldcup.org and catch all the latest news, scorecards, match analysis and previews of T20 World Cup.

Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard justified their power hitting labels today in the second semi final of T20 World Cup 2012 as West Indies shattered the dreams of Australia by beating them by 74 runs.

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first. Though J Charles was out when the team score was just 16 but Chris Gayle was today in no mood to let off. He smashed six sixes and five boundaries in his unbeaten 41-ball 75 runs knock. All West Indies batsmen contributed with much needed runs and that too with a strike rate of over 100. In the end overs, Pollard smashed 38 off just 15 balls with 3 sixes and 3 fours to help West Indies post a mammoth 205/4 in 20 overs.

Chasing 206 to enter finals, Australian stars Warner, Watson and Hussey failed when the team needed them most. The trio was back in pavilion when the team score was just 29. The pressure of increasing run rate was too much for the Australian batsmen and apart from a gallant 63 off 29 balls by captain G Bailey every other Australian batsmen failed. West Indies bowlers Ravi Rampaul (3-16), Samuel Badree (2-27), Sunil Narine (2-17) and Pollard (2-6) never let the Australian batsmen settle and finally Australians were all out for 131 in 16.4 overs.

Match 26- 2nd Semi Final T20 world Cup – Australia v West Indies Indies Scorecard

Batting Scorecard – West Indies

Batting Scoreboard – Australia

Today in the second semi final of T20 World Cup 2012, Australia will take on West Indies at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Australia who were unbeaten until their last match against Pakistan needs to forget that match and take up the Caribbean challenge all together differently. Watson, Warner and Hussey have been the only batsmen who have performed well so far in this edition of World Cup. But if they need to lift the trophy, the entire teams needs to contribute. This shortcoming was seen in their last match against Pakistan.

West Indies, on the other hand have been a team depending on its batting line up. But the spinner Sunil Narine is the one on which they will be banking today.

Australia Squad for T20 World Cup 2012:George Bailey (c), Shane Watson (vc), Cameron White, Dan Christian, David Hussey, Pat Cummins, David Warner, Xavier Doherty, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade.

West Indies Squad for T20 World Cup 2012:Darren Sammy (captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice captain), Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Samuel Badree, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin and Dwayne Smith.

Don’t forget to bookmark www.t20worldcup.org and catch all the latest news, scorecards, match analysis and previews of T20 World Cup.

In a thrilling match today, Sri Lankan bowlers held on to the nerves and defeated Pakistan by 16 runs to enter in to T20 World Cup final.

The stars for this win were the spinners of Sri Lanka, Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath took three wickets for 25 runs while Ajantha Mendis took two for 27 and thus defended the modest 140 run target.

Earlier Sri Lanka elected to bat first after winning the toss. M Jayawardene and T Dilshan scored 63 for the first wicket stand but the run rate was much less than they had hoped. Every Sri Lankan batsmen got to start but could not accelerate the run rate to required level, thanks to the pitch which was not conducive for batting. Eventually Sri Lanka could manage just 139/4 in 20 overs.

Chasing 140 to win, Pakistan also got off to a slow start as they could score just 55/2 in 9.1 overs. But the match still looked in their favor. But superb bowling by Sri Lankan bowlers asserted the pressure on Pakistani batsmen who then crumbled like pack of cards and were reduced to 91/6 in 14.2. Umar Akmal then raised hopes for Pakistan as he took the team closer to victory. Pakistan needed 32 runs off last three overs and the game was poised for an interesting finish. But Mendis, Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara gave only five, four and seven runs respectively in the 18th, 19th and 20th over and thus Pakistan were sent packing after being beaten by 16 runs.

Match Highlights
Sri Lanka innings
Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 8.4 overs (52 balls), Extras 3
Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 14.6 overs (90 balls), Extras 5
Innings Break: Sri Lanka – 139/4 in 20.0 overs

Pakistan innings
Pakistan: 50 runs in 8.2 overs (50 balls), Extras 9
Pakistan: 100 runs in 15.5 overs (95 balls), Extras 9

1st Semi-Final T20 World Cup 2012 – Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Scorecard