When the Twenty20 format was introduced, it was expected to be dominated by the batsmen and some big really scores were recorded by the teams. The nature of the format made sure that the match can tilt in favour of any team in a matter of balls. The fans had always wanted to witness some tight finishes. The four editions of the World T20 had produced several close shaves. We bring you the five best matches from the previous editions that stood out among the others.
5. West Indies vs New Zealand in Pallekele, 2012
Having already lost a match to Sri Lanka in the super over, New Zealand were in the brink of getting knocked out of the tournament as they faced the mighty West Indies in a crucial super-eight game in Pallekele. After having won the toss and choosing to field, the Kiwis did all the hard work and restricted the strong West Indian batting line-up for a below par 139. Tim Southee stared for the Kiwis with the ball by claiming an impressive figures of 4-0-21-3 including the all-important wicket of Chris Gayle. New Zealand were steady in their chase and batted with caution. Their batsmen set the tone for a Kiwi victory before West Indies bowlers bought back their team into the game courtesy some tight bowling from Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul and Samuel Badree. With 13 needed of the last over bowled by Samuels, Bracewell and McCullam seemed to be at ease. The equation went to 2 needed off the last ball. Bracewell pushed the ball to the square-leg to Dwayne Smith who disturbed the stumps at the striker’s end with a direct hit to take the match into the super over. In the one over eliminator, Kiwis set the Windies a target of 18 runs after Ross Taylor plundered 17 runs off Marlon Samuels. The task seemed to be very easy for Windies as Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels crossed the line with 3 balls to spare and thereby earning Windies a spot in the semis.
West Indies 139 (Gayle 30, Southee 3-21, Bracewell 3-31) tied with New Zealand 139 for 7 (Taylor 62*, Samuels 3-20). West Indies won the Super Over
4. Sri Lanka vs New Zealand in Pallekele, 2012
When Sri Lanka and New Zealand locked horns against each other in the super-eight stages, the crowd was set for a high voltage clash. After winning the toss, the kiwis were off to a flying start with some fine knocks from Rob Nicol, Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullam. The kiwis put on a competitive total of 174 for 6 in their twenty overs. Sri Lanka got off to a flier with their openers Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakratne Dilshan started attacking the kiwi attack from the word go. When Mahela departed for 44 in the eighth over, Dilshan took the responsibility and almost batted till the end to carry the Lankans home. He was ably supported by Kumar Sangakkara. When Dilshan got out for 76, Sri Lanka needed just 14 runs off 10 balls. But that’s when the disaster struck Lanka. Sri Lanka lost two quick wickets and ended their innings on the same score as that of New Lanka and thereby taking the game into the super over. In the one over eliminator, Thisara Perera and Mahela Jayawardene made sure that Lanka reached a total of 13 in the over bowled by Tim Southee. In reply, Sri Lankan death over specialist Lasith Malinga restricted the kiwis for 7 runs and gave the Lankans a six run victory. That victory took Lanka a step closer to the semi-final spot.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 174 for 6 (Nicol 58, Guptill 38) tied with Sri Lanka 174 for 6 (Dilshan 76, Jayawardene 44). Sri Lanka won the Super Over
3. India vs Pakistan in Durban, 2007
How come there can be a list of best matches in a tournament without an Indo-Pak clash? The match between the two arch rivals will be a treat to the fans across the world. Each and everytime these two teams get into the field against each other, the expectation levels of the fans raise and the fans will hope for nothing less than a thriller. Once again the stage was set for yet another Indo-Pak clash, this time in the group stages of the 2007 World T20 in Durban. After having shared points in the washed out game against Scotland, India needed a win to get through to the next round. After asked to bat first, Mohammad Asif ripped through the Indian top order for just 36 on the board in the sixth over. He accounted for Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj and Karthick as the Indians were clueless against the pacer. It was left to Robin Uthappa and skipper MS Dhoni to steady the ship. The safely took India to 141, a below par total. Pakistan were off to a slow but steady start. But it was in the middle overs the Pakistanis lost their way courtesy some tight bowling from the Indians and some reckless batting by Pakistan batsmen. But Misbah-ul-Haq held his nerve and took the game into the final over. When 1 run needed of the last two balls, Misbah was beaten in the penultimate ball and was run out in the last ball of the match trying for a quick single to win the match for his side. The match ended in a tie and went into the bowl-out to determine the winner. The Indian bowlers hit the bull’s eye thrice and the Pakistanis missed their first three rounds to come second in the match.
Brief Scores: India 141 for 9 (Uthappa 50, Asif 4-18) beat Pakistan 141 for 7 (Misbah 53, Pathan 2-20) in a bowl-out after match was initially tied. Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, Harbhajan Singh hit the stumps for India whereas Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Shahid Afridi missed for Pakistan.
2. Australia vs Pakistan in St. Lucia, 2010
The only dark spot in the otherwise glorious career of Saeed Ajmal is the outcome of the match and the involvement of the off-spinner in deciding the outcome of the game. This match was a last over humdinger between Pakistan and Australia in the semi-finals of the 2010 World T20 in St. Lucia, West Indies. Australia after winning the toss put Pakistan into bat. Pakistan got off to a steady start with Kamran Akmal scoring a fluent fifty. And towards the end, it was Kamran’s younger brother Umar sent the Aussies bowlers on a leather hunt by scoring a well-compiled 56 and propelling Pakistan to a strong 191 in 20 overs. Australia got off to a worst possible start as they lost David Warner early. Almost all the remaining Aussie batsmen got off to a start and got out before converting them into a match winning knocks. It was left to Cameron White and Mike Hussey in the latter half to take Australia home and they responded in style. White scored some quick runs before Hussey making the Pakistani bowlers pay in the last five overs. The match went into the last over bowled by Saeed Ajmal with eighteen needed from 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.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 191 for 6 (Umar 56, Kamran 50) lost to Australia 197 for 7 (Michael Hussey 60*, White 43) by three wickets
1. India vs Pakistan in Johannesburg, 2007
As said before, India vs Pakistan battle is simply a crowd puller. Everyone wants a thrilling outcome to it. The finals of the 2007 World T20 was a made in heaven with arch rivals India and Pakistan facing off each other. The teams had already locked horns in the group stages of the tournament with India going away with the honours. India received a major jolt ahead of the all-important toss as their star batsman Virender Sehwag ruled out of the finals due to an injury incurred in the semi-finals. India gave Yusuf Pathan a debut and chose to bat after MS Dhoni called rightly at the toss. After sending the ball over the bowler’s head in the very first over, Yusuf got out cheaply and Robin Uthappa followed him soon after. India’s hero of the tournament Yuvraj Singh didn’t look in his usual self as he got out for a 19 ball 14 with MS Dhoni following with a 10 ball 6. But Gautam Gambhir batted steadily and took India towards a safer total before getting out. In the end, it was Rohit Sharma who took India to a challenging 157. Pakistan was off to a rather flying start despite losing two quick wickets in the first three overs. Pakistan raced off to 60 in the first six overs. And then the famous Pakistani collapse began. Wickets started tumbling at regular intervals with the run-rate decreasing at the end of each over. Then it was Misbah-ul-Haq- once again threatened to take the game away from India. With 13 needed off the last over bowled by Joginder Sharma, Misbah sent the second ball sailing over the rope before skiing the third ball in the air. The ball was safely pouched by S Sreesanth at short fine leg and the celebrations began in India. At that point of time, the game was in Pakistan’s control with just six needed off 4 balls. But in the end, Dhoni’s brave move by giving the final over to Joginder combined with Joginder’s brilliance won the game for India.
Brief Scores: India 157 for 5 (Gambhir 75, Gul 3-28) beat Pakistan 152 (Misbah-ul-Haq 43, Pathan 3-16, RP Singh 3-23) by 5 runs
