World Twenty20 success rivals Ashes wins claims Collingwood

England's seven-wicket trouncing of Australia in the ICC World Twenty20 final at Kensington Oval yesterday had an almost anti-climactic ease about it after 35 barren years without a trophy.

No one needed to remind Collingwood of what he and his team had achieved, after a fine performance in the field restricted the old enemy to a below-par 147-6 – and then second-wicket pair Craig Kieswetter (63) and Kevin Pietersen led the charge to a victory which came with three full overs to spare.

"This is a very special moment. The guys deserve everything they've got today," said Collingwood, who had the privilege of hitting the winning runs after England's two South Africa-born batsmen had got out with victory in sight.

"We've won a World Cup, and you can never take that away from us.

"We thoroughly deserve the victory, because of the way we've played throughout the tournament.

"We've had a lot of belief, and the guys have thought very well for themselves and made the right decisions. In the end, we've turned up on a big occasion like this and we've performed.

"I'm absolutely delighted with the guys."

Collingwood, who said the victory rivalled the 2005 and 2009 Ashes Test series successes over Australia, has seen his team go one better than those led to finals but no further by great England captains of the past – Mike Brearley, Mike Gatting, Graham Gooch and Michael Vaughan.

"This is right up there, with the best. To be the first (English) team to win a World Cup is very special," he added.

"We knew it was a monkey on our back. We knew what it meant, and that is why I am so pleased that these last two performances in such pressurised situations were absolutely spot on.

"I think belief has been the key, as soon as we got the squad together – seeing how much power we have in the squad.

"You can see from the way the guys have gone out from first ball, believing in themselves and taking it to the opposition and playing a brand of cricket that is unlike England in the past.

"I think a lot of credit goes to every single player in the dressing room to have the confidence to go out there and really give it their best shots and have no regrets."

Chief among them, of course, is Pietersen, who yesterday capped a week to remember following the birth of his first child on Monday by making another 47 runs in a century stand with Kieswetter to take his tally to 248 for the campaign and win the player-of-the-tournament award.

"It is incredible really," he said. "It's one that will only sink in in a few weeks' time or when I see my little boy to hold.

"Right now in the dressing room we will celebrate as a team. But things only seem to sink in later.

"I hope the (volcanic) ash cloud will stay away and we can get back to our families on Tuesday because it's one thing celebrating with the lads but you also want your families around you to celebrate such a successful time."

Beaten Australia captain Michael Clarke, meanwhile, had little to smile about as he came to terms with defeat and a moderate campaign with the bat for him personally.

"The boys were very keen and excited about today," he said.

"We knew we needed to be at our best. We knew England were going to be tough. They are a very tough Twenty20 team, and losing those three wickets early didn't help and put a lot of pressure on our middle order.

"I thought we did well to scrape our way to 140-odd, although we were probably about 30 runs short – or 50 runs short, the way England batted.

"We got beaten by the better team today. We are disappointed. It's not the Ashes but it's a big tournament that we wanted to do really well in. But our guys can still hold their heads high.

"England played some wonderful cricket, and outplayed us today."

As for his own position – in the batting order and as captain – he accepts he will now be under the microscope.

"There's no doubt that the selectors will need to have a look at my performances," added Clarke.

"I certainly know they haven't been up to scratch through this whole tournament and probably in Twenty20 cricket in general.

"I'm sure the selectors will sit down and have a look and if I'm not the right guy for No 3 and the captaincy then they'll make that decision."

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