2009 ICC T20 World Cup: Pakistan Win at Lord's
Pakistan claimed the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 title at Lord's, beating Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in a one-sided final. The tournament also saw Tillakaratne Dilshan invent the ramp shot.
The 2009 ICC World Twenty20 was held in England in June, with the final at Lord's Cricket Ground. Pakistan, captained by Younus Khan, defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in a final that was over almost before it began. Pakistan's pace attack restricted Sri Lanka to 138/6, then Shahzaib Hasan and Kamran Akmal chased it down in 13.4 overs.
Tournament Format
Twelve teams competed at venues across England including Lord's, The Oval, Trent Bridge, and Headingley. The format used two groups of six, with the top four from each group advancing to a Super Eight round, followed by semi-finals and a final. Pakistan were placed in Group D alongside Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland.
Pakistan's Path to the Final
Pakistan recovered from a group-stage loss to Sri Lanka to win their remaining matches convincingly. Shahid Afridi was their most dangerous weapon — his leg-spin and lower-order hitting kept Pakistan threatening even in difficult moments. Umar Gul was the stand-out bowler of the tournament, dismissing top-order batters across multiple matches with pace and reverse swing.
The Dilshan Scoop
The 2009 T20 WC is also remembered for Tillakaratne Dilshan's innovation — the ramp shot, often called the 'Dilscoop'. Dilshan invented a technique of reversing his stance as the bowler ran in and scooping the ball over the wicketkeeper's head to the fine-leg or third-man boundary. In the tournament he scored 317 runs — the most by any batter — and his shot became one of the most imitated in modern cricket.
The Dilscoop Under Pressure
Dilshan used the ramp shot against 140 kph pace deliveries aimed at his stumps, turning would-be yorkers into boundary shots over the keeper's head. Fielding captains had no standard counter — placing a man at fine leg invited him to ramp over square leg; leave fine leg open and the scoop went for four. No batter had consistently used this shot before. By 2010, batters worldwide were attempting to copy it.
The Lord's Final: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka batted first on a damp Lord's surface. Their innings never accelerated — Pakistan's pace attack of Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, and Saeed Ajmal kept the scoring rate below 7 per over. Sri Lanka's 138/6 looked vulnerable. Pakistan opened with Shahzaib Hasan, who hit the ball through the off side with freedom. He made 42, Kamran Akmal hit 30, and Younus Khan finished it off. Pakistan won with 6.2 overs to spare — one of the most one-sided major final victories in T20 cricket.
Key Statistics
| Category | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Most Runs | TM Dilshan (SL) | 317 |
| Most Wickets | Umar Gul (Pak) | 13 |
| Best Strike Rate (min 50 balls) | Tillakaratne Dilshan | 147.9 |
| Tournament sixes | Various | over 220 |
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2009 T20 World Cup?
Pakistan won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, beating Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in the Lord's final. Umar Gul was the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 13 wickets.
What is the Dilscoop and when was it invented?
The Dilscoop (or Dilshan scoop/ramp) is a shot where the batter reverses their stance and deflects a delivery over the wicketkeeper's head for a boundary. Tillakaratne Dilshan used it consistently during the 2009 T20 World Cup, scoring 317 runs, and became famous for the innovation.
Where was the 2009 T20 World Cup final played?
The 2009 ICC World Twenty20 final was played at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets.