ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2014: Sri Lanka Beat India in the Final at Dhaka
The 2014 ICC Men's T20 World Cup was held in Bangladesh from 16 March to 6 April 2014. Sri Lanka, captained by Lasith Malinga, won their first and only T20 World Cup title, defeating India by 6 wickets in the final at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka on 6 April 2014. India scored 130/4; Sri Lanka chased 131 in 17.5 overs (Dilshan 52, Sangakkara 52*). Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan put on 119 for the first wicket — the highest opening partnership in a T20 World Cup final. Sangakkara scored 52 not out to win the match.
The 2014 ICC Men's T20 World Cup was held in Bangladesh from 16 March to 6 April 2014. Sixteen teams competed. Sri Lanka, captained by Lasith Malinga, qualified from their group unbeaten and defeated South Africa and West Indies in the knockouts. India, captained by MS Dhoni, were the defending T20 WC champions (having won in 2007).
The Final: 119 Opening Stand
The final at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka on 6 April 2014 saw India bat first and score 130/4. Kohli scored 77*; the total was below par on the final's surface. Sri Lanka, chasing 131, opened with Dilshan (52) and Sangakkara (52*) — their 119-run opening partnership is the highest in any T20 World Cup final. Sri Lanka reached the target in 17.5 overs, winning by 6 wickets. Sangakkara remained unbeaten to the end.
Sri Lanka's First T20 WC Title
Sri Lanka's 2014 T20 WC title was their first and only ICC T20 World Cup title. Their batting order was led by the Dilshan-Sangakkara opening partnership, with Mahela Jayawardene at number 3 and Thisara Perera in the middle order. Malinga's captaincy combined pace bowling at the top and slow left-arm orthodox from Rangana Herath in Bangladesh's turning conditions. Sri Lanka's tournament was dominated by Dilshan (Dilscoop characteristic of his bat), who averaged 67.25 for the tournament.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Dilshan-Sangakkara 119-run opening partnership in the 2014 T20 WC final analytically compare to successful T20I opening partnerships, and what does Sri Lanka's tactical use of spinners in Bangladesh conditions reveal about the structural advantage of playing T20 WC in a host nation's conditions?
The 119-run Dilshan-Sangakkara opening partnership in the 2014 T20 WC final is the highest in any T20 World Cup final. The T20I opening partnership analysis: for a 130-run T20 target, a 119-run opening stand represents 91.5% of the total from 2 wickets — a completion percentage that is structurally the most efficient way to chase a low target, because it removes the risk of middle-order collapses on a turning pitch. In Dhaka, where the ball turned significantly, the optimal strategy was to maximise batting time before the surface degraded: a high opening stand reduced the middle-order's exposure. Dilshan's 'Dilscoop' (sweeping over the wicketkeeper's head) specifically neutralised pace bowling in T20 by scoring behind square on the leg side, where no T20 field can protect the boundary legally (fielding restrictions limit protection). The host-condition advantage: Sri Lanka's 2014 title, like India's 2011 WC (at home on turning surfaces), demonstrates the structural advantage of ICC tournaments in subcontinental conditions. Teams with specialist spinners (Sri Lanka's Herath, Senanayake) benefit doubly — their own spinners perform optimally while opposing teams (India, England) with pace-primary attacks must adapt. The statistical pattern: every T20 WC hosted in Asia (2012 Sri Lanka, 2014 Bangladesh, 2016 India) was won by an Asian team; every T20 WC hosted elsewhere (2007, 2009, 2010, 2021, 2022) was won by a non-Asian team, suggesting the structural host advantage is measurable in T20 cricket.