COLOMBO (Sri Lanka): Darren Sammy’s West Indies were crowned the new World Twenty20 champions after beating Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the final at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Batting first, West Indies made 137 for six wickets from their 20 overs and then returned to skittle out the hosts for 101 runs in 18.4 overs.

Sunil Narine picked up three wickets for nine runs for West Indies while captain Darren Sammy chipped in with two wickets for six runs.

The West Indies, restricted to 137-6 after electing to bat, hit back to bowl Sri Lanka out for 101 and silence a sell-out crowd of 35,000 at the Premadasa stadium that included President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Champions: West Indies players celebrate after defeating Sri Lanka by 36 runs to clinch the World Twenty20 title at the Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo yesterday. — EPA

It was the first world title for the West Indies since the 50-over World Cup triumph under Clive Lloyd in 1979, and handed Sri Lanka their fourth defeat in a major final since 2007.

Spinner Sunil Narine grabbed three wickets for nine runs and Sammy took two as the hosts, who had excelled in the field in the first session, undid the good work with irresponsible batting in the second.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene survived two dropped catches to top-score with 33, while tailender Nuwan Kulasekara hit 26 off 13 balls, including three fours and a six in the 16th over of seamer Ravi Rampaul.

Sri Lanka’s unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis had taken four wickets for 12 runs as the West Indies collapsed once Chris Gayle was removed in the sixth over for only three runs.

Marlon Samuels was the only batsman to defy the spot-on Sri Lankan bowling, making 78 off 56 balls with the help of six sixes and three boundaries.

His brilliant strokeplay helped the West Indies add 105 runs in the last 10 overs after they were reduced to 32-2 from the first 10.

Sri Lanka lost opener Tillakaratne Dilshan in the second over before Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara added 42 for the second wicket. — AFP

The hosts were cruising at 48-1 in the 10th over when the West Indies bounced back by claiming four wickets for 13 runs.

Sangakkara holed out in the deep off Samuel Badree for 22, Angelo Mathews was bowled by Darren Sammy, Jayawardene was caught off a reverse sweep and Jeevan Mendis ran himself out.

Earlier, Ajantha Mendis picked up four wickets for 12 runs as Sri Lanka limited West Indies to a vulnerable 137-6.

Marlon Samuels smashed six sixes and three fours in his 78 off 56 balls, but Sri Lanka struck at regular intervals through its spinners.

Mendis shut out West Indies’ hopes of putting up a big total when he had dangerman Chris Gayle trapped lbw for just three after the lefthander struggled for 16 balls to get going.

The spinner polished off the top order with the wickets of Dwayne Bravo (19), Kieron Pollard (2) and Andre Russell (0) in front of 35,000 home fans at R Premadasa Stadium.

Samuels hit five of his sixes off expensive fast bowler Lasith Malinga (0-54 in four overs) before he was dismissed in the 17th over.

Seamers Angelo Mathews (1-11) and Nuwan Kulasekara (0-22) bowled superbly upfront and never allowed Gayle to let loose after West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to bat.

Mathews bowled a wicket-maiden first over when he had Johnson Charles caught at mid off and Gayle was well tied down by Kulasekara at the other end before Mendis removed the dangerman.

Samuels also got a life on 20 when Kulasekara was unable to hold a difficult catch but Sri Lanka fielded well and conceded only one boundary in the first 11 overs.

Samuels finally gave West Indies some hope in the 13th over by hoisting Malinga for three big sixes in one over and hitting two more off the paceman’s fourth over.

Samuels added 59 runs for the third wicket with Dwayne Bravo off 49 balls before Mendis had three wickets in four balls and reduced West Indies to 87-5.

Captain Sammy lifted the scoring by remaining unbeaten on 26 off 15 balls, scoring 15 in the last over off Kulasekara.

OffspinnerAkila Dananjaya, who replaced leftarm spinner Ranagana Herath, got the key wicket of Samuels to finish with 1-16. — AFP

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