WEST Indies cricket was given a boost on Sunday after the Darren Sammy-led cricketers lifted the ICC T20 World Cup trophy on Sunday after defeating Sri Lanka in the final by 36 runs. The win gave Caribbean people something to smile about in cricket for the first time in a while.

Marlon Samuels was in fine form again, just as he was throughout the tournament banging a classy 56-ball 78. This was the only standout in a lacklustre West Indies innings of 138. However, Darren Sammy showed good captaincy in rotating his bowlers and setting smart fields and the West Indies bowlers were impressively up to the task.

Ravi Rampaul dismissed Tilikaratne Dilshan with arguably the ball of the tournament as the delivery turned the Sri Lankan opener inside out and upended the off stump. West Indies defending the relatively small run total.

Samuels was again the hero, then restricting the Kiwis to 17 in their Super Over and hitting the winning six in West Indies’ over after New Zealand bowled a no-ball, which was hit for six earlier in the over.

West Indies didn’t bowl perfectly throughout the tournament either conceding a loss to the Aussies in the first round even after putting up almost 200 runs. Granted, the Aussies won by the Duckworth Lewis method after rain interrupted play, however, the West Indies came back in the semi-finals and ruefully dispatched the men from down under.

The Windies, led by Chris Gayle’s 75 not out made 205, the highest total of the T20 World Cup and the bowled wonderfully, even having Australia 46-6 at one point.

Performances saw Gayle and company ‘Gangnam-Style dancing’ and showing good team spirit with an instance in the final when Gayle took to calming down Rampaul when the fast bowler was hit all over the ground after bad bowling. All in all, West Indies were good throughout the tournament and have brought home the first West Indies Trophy in a world format since 1979.