In 2014, Team India’s frustrating journey to the T20 World Cup final in Dhaka, Bangladesh, ended when they faced Sri Lanka. What went wrong for India in the 2014 T20 World Cup final? is a question that remains unanswered as the team struggled in the pivotal encounter despite being the favourites.
India, batting first, scored a meagre 130/4 in their 20 overs. With 77 off 58 balls, Virat Kohli was the most impressive player. Rohit Sharma chipped in with 29 off 26. But Kohli was not helped by the other batters in the batting order. Particularly harmful was Yuvraj Singh’s plodding 11 runs off 21 balls. The last few overs were vital, and his inability to locate the boundary and rotate the strike sapped the innings’ momentum, leaving Kohli stranded at the non-striker’s end.
Perfectly executing their strategies, Sri Lanka’s bowlers restrained the Indian hitters and prevented them from gaining momentum. The methodical bowling of Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara made sure that India was unable to set a difficult goal.
Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka’s opening duo, were lost early in the chase. But with an undefeated fifty-two from thirty-five deliveries, veteran Kumar Sangakkara led the innings. With 13 balls remaining, he calmly knocked down six wickets for Sri Lanka, helped by contributions from Thisara Perera and Mahela Jayawardene.
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In the end, India’s failure to score a respectable total and Sri Lanka’s skillful chase sealed the deal. India suffered greatly as a result of the slow batting strategy, particularly in the middle overs. Despite Kohli’s heroic effort, Yuvraj Singh’s battle for runs was a major contributing element to India’s defeat.
When looking back on the game, it’s evident that India’s batting approach and lack of backing for the hot-hit Kohli were major problems. High-stakes matches require the entire squad to play well, and the 2014 final serves as a sobering reminder of this. The knowledge gained from the 2014 T20 World Cup final will surely be helpful as India gets ready for the 2024 final.
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