With the T20 World Cup just months away, wouldn't it be interesting to see some players whose performances helped their team in averting a knockout?
Well, Cricwizz presents to you today, some great performances in the T20 World Cups over the years that played with our heartbeats.
Michael Hussey vs Pakistan (2010)
'It's one of the best feelings I've had on a cricket field'@mhussey393 takes us back 10 years ago #OnThisDay to his astonishing 60* off 24 balls that led Australia to victory in the 2010 #T20WorldCup semi-finals 🏏 pic.twitter.com/FFwfnCZjX6
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) May 14, 2020
It was the semi-final of the 2010 T20 World Cup and Australia were not in the best of positions. Australia had won the toss and had elected to field first.
Pakistan managed to register a very competitive total, a total that was above-par if they were to be asked and Australia had to put up a performance to progress to the finals. Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal, the brothers were the heroes of the first innings, scoring 50 and 56* respectively. Australia's batting order collapsed as they began to chase 191.
A reputed Australian batting, with the likes of David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, and David Hussey all being dismissed cheaply were 5/105 and a valuable contribution from Cameron White (43) helped them to reach 139 before White fell victim to Mohammad Amir.
With over 50 runs needed inside four overs, Australia's only hope was Michael Hussey. Mr.Cricket as the world knows him played one of the best innings of his career as he helped Australia to feature in the final, scoring an unbeaten 60 from just 24 balls, with a ball to spare.
Australia won the match by three wickets and avoided a knockout from the semi-final. However, they did go on to lose the final against England, who won their maiden ICC tournament.
Virat Kohli vs South Africa (2014)
#OnThisDay in 2014 - Rohit Sharma embraces Virat Kohli after his extraordinary 72* off 44 balls in the T20 World Cup semifinal 🇮🇳
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) April 4, 2021
One of the greatest T20I knocks of all time 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Ik8uNndAkt
The ICC World T20 competition of the year 2014 was held in Bangladesh and India were facing South Africa in the semi-final. The Proteas won the toss and elected to bat first.
Courtesy of an exceptional spell from Ravichandran Ashwin ( 3 wickets for 22 runs in four overs), South Africa were restricted to 172. The African skipper, Faf du Plessis played a captain's knock, scoring 58 before being clean bowled by Ashwin. It was Jean-Paul Duminy who then took the charge, helping South Africa to reach a total of 172 with the loss of four wickets.
India started their chase well, with Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane but lost both of them inside ten overs. However, the damage was done as India were 2/77 in 9.3 overs. The pressure aggravated when Yuvraj Singh was dismissed for just 18, leaving India to score 40 runs from four overs.
All this while, Virat Kohli kept scoring as if nothing affected him. Yuvraj's wicket could've been a turning point but a quick-fire cameo from Suresh Raina did the job for India as he got out after scoring 21 runs off just 10 balls.
Virat Kohli ended the game by a brilliant four after India's skipper showed his reluctance to finish the game and let Kohli score the final runs as he had been the most integral asset in helping India progress to the final of the ICC World T20. Kohli scored 72* from just 44 balls, with five fours and two sixes, a perfect inning that saved India from a knockout and also steered them through.
Hardik Pandya vs Bangladesh (2016)
It was a super 10 match, the 25th of the competition to be precise and India couldn't lose this game if they wanted to keep breathing in the tournament.
Bangladesh had won the toss and elected to field first. A great decision from the Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza as India had a tough time on the pitch and managed to score only 146 runs in 20 overs.
India had to defend a low total in Bengaluru with the dew coming into play as well. India hit them early and got the first breakthrough in the third over. However, Tamim Iqbal and Sabbir Rahman settled in well until Tamim was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja.
The Bangladesh batsmen lost their way as Bangladesh went from 2/55 in 7.4 overs to 5/95 in 12.1 overs. The runs were not a concern but the wickets were. With another vital contribution adding to Iqbal's and Rahman's scores, Bangladesh needed only 17 runs off 12 balls.
After a phenomenal pen-ultimate over from Jasprit Bumrah, Bangladesh needed 11 runs off the last over and that's when the actual show commenced.
Hardik Pandya was handed the responsibility with Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim on the crease, fighting it out for Bangladesh. Mahmudullah rotated the strike on the first ball and Bangladesh needed just 10 runs off five balls to produce another upset, and almost knock out India from another ICC event.
Millions of Indian hearts skipped a beat as the next bowl was smashed for a boundary by Rahim and Bangladesh needed just 6 runs off four balls to get the job done. Pandya raced in again but nothing changed, a better bowl this time but an inside edge from an attempted scoop shot that went past Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the fine leg was up.
Bangladesh needed just 2 runs off three balls with four wickets, and no bowler would've hoped that he'd be on the winning side at the end of the game. However, Pandya didn't lose hope and raced in, bowling a slow short ball to which Rahim attempted to hit out of the park but failed, giving away a simple catch to Shikhar Dhawan.
Mahmudullah was on strike, Bangladesh needed two off two and Pandya bowled a full toss that was slogged but not slogged well enough as it found India's best fielder waiting for the catch, chasing it down and catching it perfectly.
Bangladesh were in trouble. Eight wickets down, requiring a couple from the last bowl. MSD pulled off one of his gloves and everyone knew that something big was just moments away.
After listening to Ashish Nehra's suggestion, Pandya ran in bowling a short ball outside off that was not in the reach of Shuvagata Hom, who then ran to score off buys as securing a draw but on the other end was Mustafizur Rahman, who couldn't match the pace of India's captain cool as India won what could be called the most enthralling game of the tournament.
The Bangladesh fans were left in tears as Dhoni broke the stumps by not throwing but by running at it. Caught on camera, Dhoni was seen confident that it was out but the decision going to the third umpire caused a bit of uncertainty in the hearts of Indians but as the replay showed, the Indian team with millions of India erupted with joy as India produced one of their best comebacks in T20. The game could also be recalled as to how Rahim and Mahmudullah tried to show off by attempting a "glamour shot," rightly said by India's legendary cricketer and commentator now Sunil Gavaskar.
Lendl Simmons vs India (2016)
Ever heard the saying "What goes around, comes around?" Well, this is what happened with India who once celebrated the careless attitude of Bangladesh and clinched a win but did pretty much the same in the semi-final of the 2016 ICC World T20.
West Indies had won the toss and elected to field first. India did a great job, ending the innings with 192 runs on the board, courtesy of a fine inning by Virat Kohli, who scored an unbeaten 89. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane scored 43 and 40 respectively and West Indies had to chase 193 runs to make it to the finals of the 2016 T20 World Cup.
West Indies were 2/16 at the end of three overs with Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, one of their best performers dismissed so early.
India looked to be under total control until Lendl Simmons came onto the crease. Helped with luck and an overstepping by Jasprit Bumrah, Simmons ensured that Indians paid for the mistakes they made on the field.
Simmons set the tone and got West Indies out of trouble, scoring an unbeaten 82 off just 51 balls, helping West Indies survive a trip home after the semi-finals. Simmons was supported by Andre Russell as well, who pounced on the nerves of the Indian bowlers as they dealt with the chances lost in dismissing Simmons. This may not seem like a clutch performance but with Simmons' innings, West Indies knocked out the hosts and the tournament favorites India.
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