Windies take first title since 1979

Darren Sammy's West Indies were crowned the new World Twenty20 champions yesterday after a 36-run victory over hosts Sri Lanka in a dramatic final in Colombo.

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.

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 3/9 and Sammy took 2/6 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 off seamer Ravi Rampaul's 16th over.

Sri Lanka's unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis had taken 4/12 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 fours.

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

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

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.

Sri Lanka had taken an early grip on the match by keeping the West Indies down to 14-2 in the first six powerplay overs after Johnson Charles had been dismissed off the fifth ball of the match.

The West Indies had to wait till the 19th delivery to score their first run with the bat and Gayle needed nine balls to get off the mark.

The left-hander struggled for 16 deliveries to make three before he was trapped leg-before by Mendis in the sixth over.

It was not until the 12th over that the West Indies, who had pummelled Australia in the semi-finals, showed the first signs of aggression as Dwayne Bravo pulled 19-year-old spinner Akila Dananjaya for a six over mid-wicket.

Samuels responded by smashing three sixes in the next over from slinger fast bowler Lasith Malinga. Malinga finished with unflattering figures of 0/54 from his four overs.

Bravo helped Samuels add 59 runs for the third wicket when he was given out leg-before by Australian umpire Simon Taufel, even though replays showed the ball go off the bat on to the pad.

Sri Lanka have now lost successive 50-over World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011, and World Twenty20 finals in 2009 and 2012.

Australia successfully defended their Women's World Twenty20 title with a four-run win over England yesterday. Australia scored 142/4 in their 20 overs and restricted England to 138/9.