ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2012
2012 · 12 teams · T20 cricket
Tournament Overview
Series Overview
The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2012 was hosted by Sri Lanka in September and October 2012, with all matches played across Colombo, Hambantota, and Pallekele. West Indies arrived as confident contenders, built around an aggressive batting philosophy and the bowling of Sunil Narine, whose mystery spin had made him the most feared T20 bowler in the world. Sri Lanka, playing on home soil, were the hosts and expected to challenge for the title in familiar conditions. The final at R. Premadasa Stadium was anticipated to be a close contest. Instead, it was a West Indies masterclass. Marlon Samuels, batting with authority and calm, scored 78 not out to anchor West Indies to 137/6 on a pitch that challenged stroke-making. Sri Lanka's batting lineup was then destroyed by Sunil Narine's combination of pace, turn, and mystery: they were bowled out for 101, losing the final by 36 runs. Narine's tournament performance — 9 wickets across the event including crucial spells in the knockouts — earned him the Player of the Tournament award. West Indies had claimed their first T20 World Cup title, cementing their reputation as the most electric T20 team in world cricket.
Key Highlights
- 1West Indies won their first T20 World Cup title in dominant fashion in Sri Lanka
- 2Marlon Samuels scored a match-winning 78* in the final to anchor West Indies to 137/6
- 3Sri Lanka, playing on home soil, were restricted to 101/8 — the final was not close
- 4Sunil Narine was the tournament's most valuable player, with his mystery spin proving almost unplayable
- 5West Indies' aggressive, fearless batting style made them the most entertaining team in the tournament