T20 World Cup Final 2012: Sri Lanka vs West Indies

Sunday, October 7, 2012
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Start time: 1900 (local) 1330 GMT

Sri Lanka:
1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Mahela Jayawardene*, 3 Kumar Sangakkara†, 4 Lahiru Thirimanne, 5 Jeevan Mendis, 6 Angelo Mathews,
7 Thisara Perera, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Ajantha Mendis, 11 Rangana Herath/Akila Dananjaya

West Indies:
1 Chris Gayle, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Dwayne Bravo, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Darren Sammy*,
7 Andre Russell, 8 Denesh Ramdin†, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Ravi Rampaul, 11 Samuel Badree

Last T20 World Cup Thread: https://www.606v2.com/t35392-t20-world-cup-live-matches-discussion

Sri Lanka for mine. Obviously a one off match could go either way , especially in this very brief format , but I reckon they have the better balanced team and are more likely to do the business under the pressure of a final.

West Indies have done well to make the final : they are essentially a team of power hitters who will rely on racking up a big score and defending it as best they can with a fairly ordinary , if varied , group of bowlers.
They did this very successfully against Australia , but I think it might be too much to expect a repeat - not only did everything seem to go their way in the semi , but the Australians were uncharacteristically poor in the field , and in any case their attack was far more reliant on a couple of pace bowlers than that of Sri Lanka , who can call on superior spin options. Gayle , Samuels & co may yet make a liar of me , but I reckon a couple of them will go cheaply this time and Sri Lanka will have enough all round strength to outscore them and take the title.

alfie wrote:Sri Lanka for mine. Obviously a one off match could go either way , especially in this very brief format , but I reckon they have the better balanced team and are more likely to do the business under the pressure of a final.

West Indies have done well to make the final : they are essentially a team of power hitters who will rely on racking up a big score and defending it as best they can with a fairly ordinary , if varied , group of bowlers.
They did this very successfully against Australia , but I think it might be too much to expect a repeat - not only did everything seem to go their way in the semi , but the Australians were uncharacteristically poor in the field , and in any case their attack was far more reliant on a couple of pace bowlers than that of Sri Lanka , who can call on superior spin options. Gayle , Samuels & co may yet make a liar of me , but I reckon a couple of them will go cheaply this time and Sri Lanka will have enough all round strength to outscore them and take the title.

I'm very much with this post. Alfie has sung what it's all about.

As I said yesterday on the original sticky for the tournament, almost anything can happen in a team innings of just 120 balls. However, I will fear for the West Indies if Gayle doesn't fire. In contrast to Sri Lanka, I have doubts as to whether the West Indies support players are good, strong or savvy enough. Russell, in particular, seems more a piece of decoration than a supporting pillar.

Interesting game in the women's final, with Australia having scored 142, about the same as when they faced England earlier in the tournament. On that occasion England chased it down fairly comfortably, but on a tougher pitch and with the added pressure of a final it's 50-50 this time you feel.

Australia will be looking for a couple of early wickets. If they can get Edwards and Taylor in particular they'll be on top.

A very handy total by Australia ! Confess I didn't see all of it , but on what I did see I wouldn't call the pitch too difficult for batting...but the finals pressure will certainly make it tougher...
Fifty-fifty about right ...and as I type Hunter gets Marsh.

The big guns in together now ...

This is a great match. Edwards and Taylor get a couple of big overs so the Aussies turn to their premium spinner who has Edwards caught at deep mid-wicket (by the excellently placed Perry - Australia's best athlete).

England with a lot of work to do now.

Edwards out which is a big blow for England as she had just started to monster the bowling...

Greenway in now and she can really play too , but Australia will fancy their chances if they can nip one of these out. Tight game.

Australia have gone really top heavy with the ball, with their 3 main bowlers Perry, Shtalekar and Hunter bowling 8 of the first 10 overs. So far so good, but it does mean if England keep their heads they'll have some lesser bowlers to go after.

There's the big one though, Australia's best Perry gets England's best Taylor caught behind.

Australia definitely on top now. The top heavy gamble has paid off big time with that delivery.

That might be the decisive wicket ! Taylor caught behind...

A lot of pressure on Greenway now and this is looking like an upset result...

Pressure really getting to England. The normally so cool Greenway holes out in the deep.

It's been excellent from Australia. Clearly a plan to attack England early on, bringing back Shtalekar and Perry has paid dividends, very good fielding and catching also. Now the "lesser" England batswomen have to pull off something special.

Have to say this is the best standard of Women's cricket I've ever seen. They have come on hugely over the last 3 or 4 years in terms of shot selection and inventiveness, field placings, fielding, tactics etc.

Greenway out and game over I think...

England have made the mistake of going too hard too early...as Mike says there will be some lesser bowlers at the end , but there won't be much batting left to take advantage of it.
This is the risk you take chasing in T20 ...if the target is challenging the pressure to up the scoring rate often causes errors of judgement even in good players. And the loss of a couple of key wickets early on can be fatal.

Excellent spell from the leading T20 bowler in Shtalekar there: 2-16 off her 4 overs. Good breakthrough as Brindle and Wyatt were just looking like getting going.

Plenty of turn on this pitch...

Indeed a very good standard ...these two teams are currently head and shoulders above the rest , just hope their increasing professionalism doesn't take them too far clear of the field as women's cricket , just like the men's game , requires regular completion to remain strong. Indeed more important to the women who don't have the history and the established TV contracts.

Brindle the fifth wicket down and the chase is looking forlorn - though the actual comparative score at this point is quite close in runs.

And once again a superb catch by Blackwell just about wraps up the match , as she did in the semi final...

Amazing .

Minutes after that terrific catch by Blackwell , she drops an absolute sitter

Don't think it will hurt her team though ...ten plus per over seems a bit much for the batters left at this point.

Oooh Gunn with a lovely timed 6 over mid-off. but gone next ball, a bit unlucky that picks out short fine-leg with the sweep.

23 off the last 2. Not impossible, but tough you think.

Australia turn back to Perry.

16 off 6. Nail biting finish to this match. These women are so unpredictable!

16 off the last over then. Perry's final ball going for 4 over mid-off to give England a slight sniff.

England going down fighting , but they have kept losing wickets whenever a burst of scoring has rekindled hope.

Need 16 from the last over...unlikely.

Be good if the men's final is as entertaining and competitive...though from the number of comments not many on here are watching ...

Wow, that was pretty close in the end. England fought back well.

I'm pleased for the Aussies girls - they saved their best for the last two matches.

...and that run out just about settles things with a ball to spare ...Yes , Australia win by four runs ...

A game befitting a final , well done both teams and congratulations Australia !

Sri Lanka and West Indies have something to live up to..

Drama all over the place! Pressure doing funny things with a head high full toss and a dropped catch, but Australia prevail by 4 runs. Well deserved based on today where they've played the better cricket.

What an excellent game! Great advert for Women's cricket.

It's only England's 2nd defeat in 27 or so T20 matches. But it's come in the big one.

Yes England will be disappointed...on recent form they'd probably expect to beat Australia , maybe seven out of ten ? But it comes down to one game and today Australia played that little bit better , and won the Big One.
Well done them

Afternoon all. Must admit to looking forward to this final. Come on the Windies

Nice to see you back Billy. How was Singapore? My brother just arrived back there 10 mins ago... got his text. He had a sports reunion thing here over the weekend. Did some rowing, touch footy, 3km run.

I'm going for the Windies too but SL will put up more of a fight than Oz I'd say.

West Indies are batting after winning the toss. They are unchanged from the team that won the semi. Sri Lanka have brought Akhila Dananjaya in for Rangana Herath.

Hey breaker, Singapor was great mate but it was a long trip this time and didnt have much free time. Still managed to get some new electronic stuff to play with

Mathews and Kulasekhara have been opening the bowling for Lanka mostly throughout the tournament. But I think the Slinger should be unleashed on Gayle early enough.

Some good electronic buys in Sin City... they love their gadgets.

Just thinking - I had the feeling the other night the Windies (esp. Gayle & Co.) were really out to prove themselves against Oz - which they did superbly. The glint in the eyes etc. I wonder if they can pump themselves up as much. As others have said it may be hard to do it twice in a row but they are looking very confident these days.

Charles is gone, Good start for Sri Lanka. Mathews with the early strike.

I hope they do but this is some bowling unit that Sri Lanka have.

1 down already after the 5th ball

A wicket maiden to start with. Great over

It is Kula from the other end.

2 overs and still no runs of the bat

1-1 off 2 overs come on WI!

2 overs gone, and no run of the bat. now its 2.1 overs.

Next over or the over after that, we are sure to have Malinga in action. So it won't be easy to pick and choose bowlers to attack.

Unbelievable bowling from Sri Lanka. Almost a second wicket as well...

A run off the bat

Sri Lanka continue to land the early punches, just 2 runs after 3 overs with a wicket down.

Samuels with the first 4 for the WI.

Gayle's off the mark.

Gayle is really struggeling here.

As expected, the Slinger into the action. The Lankan seamers have done well so far.

The only player in recent times that I have seen absolutely smashing Malinga is Virat Kohli.

WI going at 2.4 after 5 overs. Sri Lanka in charge.

This could be the lowest total in the first 6 overs in the whole tournement...

Gayle was really struggeling and the wicket was coming.

Ajantha Mendis had gone for a few in the tournament, but Gayle's struggling against him as well. 3 of 15 balls. And the pressure gets the wicket.