Top 5 moments from T20 World Cup
The inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup was conducted in 2007 and Team India became the champions
As the 2022 T20 World Cup is slated to start on October 16 in Australia, every team has already started to find their perfect playing XI combination to give their best in the all-important tournament. Playing at home, defending champions Australia will be looking to retain their title against several other top teams participating in the competition.
The inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup was conducted in 2007 with Team India becoming the champions. Over the years, fans from all around the world have witnessed some of the fiercest battles between the bat and ball in the T20 World Cup, and in this article, we will talk about the top five memorable moments in the gala competition. Let us begin:
5. Chris Gayle’s century in the inaugural T20 World Cup 2007 match
The 2007 T20 World Cup started with a bang as Universe Boss Chris Gayle stroked an excellent century during the inaugural match of the tournament that too against the home team South Africa. The left-handed batter also opened his account by hitting a boundary on the first ball of that edition.
Gayle played an outstanding knock of 117 runs off just 57 balls, smashing seven fours and ten sixes in that innings. However, none of the other West Indies batters could manag to play impactful knocks as the Men in Maroon finished on 205/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
In reply, the home team came to all guns blazing and chased the target with ease in just 17.4 overs. Batter Herschelle Gibbs was simply excellent with the bat as he stroked an unbeaten 90 and helped his team to win the first match of the T20 World Cup.
4. Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes in an over against Broad
Yuvraj Singh was in his beast mode during a group-stage match of the 2007 T20 World Cup against England. The left-handed batter was playing normally till England’s all-rounder Andrew Flintoff had a word with him. Both of them were seen being involved in a heated conversation as the Three Lions were about to face a serious display of batting from the left-handed batter.
England pacer Stuart Broad came to bowl the next over in the match and Yuvraj was facing him. The right-arm bowled six different deliveries and got hit for maximums in all of them. Yuvraj was accompanied by skipper MS Dhoni at the crease as the duo seemed to enjoy the moment.
The Men in Blue went on to win the match by a comfortable margin as Team India completed an important victory. The MS Dhoni-led side also went on to win the 2007 edition after beating their arch-rivals in final match of the tournament.
3. Rangana Herath’s 5/3 against New Zealand
Team Sri Lanka were playing New Zealand in a must-win match during the 2014 T20 World Cup. Batting first, Sri Lanka only managed to score 119 runs in their allotted 20 overs. The Kiwi side would have backed themselves to win the match after first innings.
However, an excellent bowling display from the Sri Lanka side ensured that New Zealand could only manage to score 60 runs in their innings. Spinner Rangana Herath completely destroyed the Kiwi batting line-up and was also adjudged the Player of the Match.
The left-arm spinner scalped five wickets including the wickets of Brendon McCullum, James Neesham, Ross Taylor, Luke Ronchi and Trent Boult. He only gave away three runs in his spell and guided his side over the line.
2. Bowl out in Indo-Pak clash
Team India were taking on arch-rivals Pakistan during a group stage encounter of the 2007 T20 World Cup. Team India batted first and scored 141 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Robin Uthappa played an excellent knock of 50 for the Men in Blue.
In reply, Pakistan had a poor start with the bat as the top order failed to make big contributions. Veteran batter Misbah-ul-Haq played a crucial knock of 50 runs but failed to win the match for Men in Green. With the match ending in a draw, both teams locked horns in a bowl out.
From India Virender Sehwag, Uthappa, Irfan Pathan, S Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh were five players to bowl while Pakistan had opted for Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Asif and Yasir Arafat. Sehwag, Harbhajan and Uthappa hit the stumps for India. On contrary, Arafat, Gul and Afridi missed the stumps as the Men in Blue went on to win the first and last bowl out in the history of cricket.
1. Carlos Brathwaite four sixes to Ben Stokes
All-rounder Carlos Brathwaite scripted history for the Men in Maroon as West Indies went on to win their second T20 World Cup in 2016. West Indies required 19 runs off the last over with Ben Stokes having the ball for England. However, it did not matter to Brathwaite as he smashed Stokes for four consecutive sixes and stunned the cricketing fraternity.
Batting first, the Three Lions had a poor start to their innings as they were reduced to 23/3 in just 4.4 overs. However, Joe Root smashed an excellent 54 off 36 deliveries, with his team managing a respectable total of 155/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
In reply, West Indies also had a shaky start but the senior batter Marlon Samuels played a vital role for his team and smashed an excellent fifty. However, it was Brathwaite who did the main damage to the English team and handed them a disappointing defeat, and that too in the final match of the tournament.
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