Which team won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2014 by defeating India in the final?

Introduction / Context:
The ICC T20 World Cup is an international tournament for the shortest regular format of international cricket. In 2014 the final was a high profile match involving India and a strong Asian rival. This question tests whether the learner remembers which national team actually lifted the T20 World Cup trophy that year.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is the ICC T20 World Cup 2014.
• The final was between India and another team.
• Options are Sri Lanka, India, Australia and Pakistan.
• We assume the official ICC result for the tournament.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall that India reached the final in 2014 but did not win the title. Instead, Sri Lanka emerged as champions after a convincing performance in the final match. Australia and Pakistan were strong teams but did not feature as winners in that edition. Remembering that Sri Lanka had earlier lost a couple of limited overs finals before finally winning this T20 title helps fix the fact in memory.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the ICC T20 World Cup 2014 was hosted in Bangladesh.Step 2: Remember that India and Sri Lanka faced each other in the final.Step 3: In that final, Sri Lanka restricted India to a modest total and then successfully chased it.Step 4: This victory gave Sri Lanka its first ICC T20 World Cup title.Step 5: Therefore, among the options provided, the correct answer is Sri Lanka.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify by recalling that this final marked the end of the international T20 careers of Sri Lankan legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, who played key roles in the run chase. Media reports at the time emphasised that Sri Lanka finally won a limited overs world title after finishing as runners up in previous finals. These details confirm that Sri Lanka, not India, Australia or Pakistan, won the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
India reached the final but lost, so it cannot be the champion for this edition. Australia did not win any T20 World Cup until a much later tournament. Pakistan had earlier won the ICC World T20 in 2009 but was not the champion in 2014. Thus, Sri Lanka remains the only correct choice for the 2014 title.

Common Pitfalls:
Because India reached the final and has a strong overall record in T20 cricket, some learners may mistakenly select India as the winner. Others might confuse different tournament years, mixing up earlier Pakistani and later Australian titles. Keeping a simple mental note that Sri Lanka won the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh by defeating India in the final helps avoid such mistakes.

Final Answer:
Sri Lanka won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2014.