When the Twenty20 format was introduced, it was expected to be dominated by the batsmen. Ten years after making its debut in International Cricket, Twenty20 cricket has become a blessing in disguise for the batsmen and a nightmare for the bowlers. The International Cricket Council officially announced the staging of World T20 once in two years. The World T20 started way back in 2007 where India came out as Champions. Since then the event was staged thrice and it had three different winners (Pakistan, England and West Indies). The tournament also saw some batsmen giving their heart out for their team. The four editions of the tournament produced several brilliant knocks. We bring you the five best innings from the previous editions that stood out among the others.
5. Chris Gayle vs South Africa in Johannesburg, 2007
Chris Gayle set the World T20 on fire by scoring a fierce century against South Africa at the Bulls Ring in the inaugural match of 2007 World T20. With that ton against Proteas, Gayle also became the first man to score a hundred in International T20’s. It was a devastating innings from the Gayle Storm as he went for a leather hunt against the South African bowlers that made even the crowd to go under covers. He scored a record ten sixes in his 57 ball 117 that prompted the Windies to a challenging 205. Gayle was particularly severe on veteran Shaun Pollock as he made the former South African skipper look like a net bowler as the big man from Jamaica plundered a massive 44 runs off 14 balls from that particular bowler. The knock of Gayle went in vain as Herschelle Gibbs led the proteas to a win after scoring a match winning 98, the knock that was narrowly left out of our top 5 innings in World T20.
4. Marlon Samuels vs Sri Lanka in Colombo, 2012
West Indies made their way into the finals of a World Cup after a long gap of 33 years in the 2012 World T20 in Sri Lanka. In the finals, the men from Caribbean faced the home side for the title. In a slow wicket, West Indies chose to bat first after winning the toss. West Indies lost some quick wickets and were reeling at 48 for 2 at the end of 12 overs. Then one man took charge and led West Indies to a fighting total. The due share of flair came from one of the most eye-pleasing batsmen going around. There’s no need to add “one of the” here, because Marlon Samuels played simply the best Twenty20 international innings ever seen. Samuels scored an eye catching 78 runs that came 56 balls with his first 26 coming off 37 balls. One of the interesting aspect in that knock is the way he dispatched Sri Lanka’s premier bowler for 40 runs in two overs. When he got out to Akila Dhananjeya, he made sure that his team was in a commanding position. Then it was the bowlers who handed the Windies a 36 run victory and the World T20 title.
3. Brendon McCullam vs Bangladesh in Pallekele in 2012
Not many would have forgot the destruction done by Kiwi batsman Brendon McCullam in the inaugural match of the Indian Premier League in 2008. His 158 against RCB set the tournament on fire. Brendon McCullam was set for yet another destruction, this time against Bangladesh team in Pallekele in 2012 World T20. This time, he broke several records in International T20’s. His knock of 123 off 58 balls made sure that he became the first batsman to score two International centuries in Twenty20 matches. He also became the owner of highest individual score in Twenty20 Cricket. From the classical back-foot punch through the covers to score his first runs to finishing off the New Zealand innings with two sixes off a pull shot, McCullum was the firestarter, anchor and finisher of the innings. His knock also made sure that the Kiwis set the Bangladeshis target of 192, and went on to win the match by 59 runs and qualify for the next round from the toughest group in the tournament.
2. Yuvraj Singh vs England in Durban, 2007
After losing their first super-eight match against New Zealand, India needed to win the next two matches comfortably in order to qualify for the semis of the 2007 World T20. First in the line for India was England, an opponent who were in a similar kind of situation as India. With both the teams needed a win, the super-eight match at Durban was set for a cliff-hanger. One man made sure that the crowd at the Kingsmead was witnessing the greatest masterpiece from a most under-rated batsman till that night. After choosing to bat, India were cruising along with a run-rate of over 9 per over at the end of 16th over. Then it was the turn of India’s dashing southpaw Yuvraj Singh to take charge. After scoring 14 runs off his first six balls, Yuvraj chose Pacer Stuart Broad to deliver the knockout punch. Yuvraj, spurred by comments from Andrew Flintoff before the penultimate over, launched the first ball of the 19th over bowled by Broad to the cow corner, the second ball was disappeared over backward square leg, the third and fourth rocketed over extra cover and point respectively with the fifth flew over midwicket, and the sixth six landed in the stands at long-on. Yuvraj’s 12-ball fifty is a record in all forms of international cricket. It helped India to post a total of 218, which was proved to be too much for England.
1. Mike Hussey vs Pakistan in St. Lucia, 2010
The first semi-finals of the 2010 World T20 saw the eventual Champions England book a place in the summit clash. The second semi-finals took place between Pakistan and Australia and the match drew many attraction from the audience at St. Lucia. After putting into bat by Australia, Pakistan scored a challenging score of 191 in their 20 overs, courtesy fighting fifties from the Akmal brothers. When the Aussies came out to bat, they were in for a shocker. Pakistani medium pacer Mohammad Aamir made sure that Australia lost their openers before the third over of the innings. With some useful contributions from the Aussie middle-order and Cameron White in particular, Australia’s chances to qualify for the finals was hanging in balance. When Mike Hussey took a long stride out to the middle, Australia needed 87 runs of the last seven overs. Hussey made sure that the Aussies took the match to the last over bowled by Pakistan’s mystery spinner Saeed Ajmal with 18 needed off it. With seventeen required from 5 balls, Hussey dispatched the second ball of the over the deep square leg for a six followed by a strike over long-on off the third ball. With just needed off the last three balls, Hussey slashed the fourth ball past the backward fielder for a boundary before smashing the penultimate ball of the match over long-on and thereby sealing a dramatic victory for Australia.
