T20 World Cup 2012: West Indies' First T20 Title in Sri Lanka

The 2012 ICC World Twenty20 was hosted in Sri Lanka and produced a home final — Sri Lanka against West Indies at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. West Indies won by 36 runs to claim their first-ever ICC T20 World Cup title, establishing themselves as the dominant force in the format.

Chris Gayle's Tournament

Chris Gayle was the tournament's most devastating batter. His 75 not out off 41 balls in the semi-final against Australia, then 58 off 44 in the final, provided the platform for West Indies' victories. Gayle's ability to take the game away from opponents in the powerplay with his flat-bat hitting made him virtually unplayable on the Sri Lankan surfaces.

The Colombo Final

West Indies posted 137 for 6 in the final, with Marlon Samuels contributing a crucial 78 off 56 balls. Sri Lanka, chasing 138, were restricted to 101 all out — a crushing 36-run defeat. Sunil Narine's off-spin took 2 for 21 from his four overs, making scoring almost impossible for the Sri Lankan middle order.

West Indies T20 Dynasty Begins

The 2012 victory established West Indies as T20 specialists. Their roster of franchise veterans — Gayle, Samuels, Narine, Bravo — honed through IPL and CPL competition, proved too powerful for nations who relied on traditional cricket development. They would go on to win a second title in 2016, and their influence on T20 cricket's global spread through franchise leagues continues today.