Over the years, we have seen the batters knock it out of the park very often and things get fiercer when it’s in T20 format. Many greats have come and gone but there are some knocks that will stay etched in every cricket fan’s heart forever. So, without further ado, let’s go through five of the best knocks in the history of the T20 World Cup.
5. Chris Gayle – 75* of 41 vs Australia
WI vs AUS: Chris Gayle Shines As West Indies Take Unbeatable 3-0 Lead In T20I Series vs Australia
https://newsflas… pic.twitter.com/YATl6FKNfw— newsflashhub (@newsflashhub) July 13, 2021
Chris Gayle is one of the greatest T20 batsmen to set foot on the pitch and his knock against Australia in the 2012 World T20 semi-finals makes it to our list of top knocks in the tournament. Gayle scored an incredible 75 runs off just 41 deliveries to send West Indies through to the Final with an incredible strike rate of 189.92. His unbeaten knock consisted of five boundaries and six of his towering sixes to stamp his authority on the Aussies.
4. Marlon Samuels – 78 of 56 vs Sri Lanka, 2012
Marlon Samuels played 2 T20 World Cup finals and he was Man of the Match in both the finals and West Indies won both the T20 World Cup.
2012 vs Srilanka
2016 vs England #T20WorldCup #T20WorldCup2021 pic.twitter.com/wCAMoTF0BM— Abhimanyu (@abhimanyusrt) October 16, 2021
At #4, we have another West Indian, Marlon Samuels, whose heroics in the 2012 World Cup Final awarded West Indies their first-ever T20 WC title. In that final against Sri Lanka, the team was struggling as they found themselves at 38/2 after 11 overs, and then came Marlon Samuels who completely turned the game around. Samuels scored a total of 78 runs off 56 balls at a strike rate of 139.28 hitting the ball out of the park four times.
3. Mike Hussey – 60* of 24 vs Pakistan
#OnThisDay 2010 – WATCH Mike Hussey’s match-winning innings at the WT20 vs Pakistan https://t.co/OjVs6TRBpj pic.twitter.com/7DFV50tNU2
— ICC (@ICC) May 14, 2016
With an astonishing strike rate of 250, Mike Hussey’s knock against Pakistan in the 2010 T20 WC semi-final takes the #3 spot on our list. Pakistan who were the defending champions that edition lost the match in the final over when Australia needed 18 runs from 6 balls. Mike Hussey took to Saeed Ajmal and struck one boundary and finished off the game with three towering sixes taking his score to 60* off just 24 deliveries.
2. Yuvraj Singh – 70 of 30 vs Australia
Yuvraj Singh 70 of 30 balls Vs Australia in semis is one of the best T20i knocks.
He had 90% of control with the bat, which ensured India reached final. #HappyBirthdayYuvi pic.twitter.com/WVtvmueNcx
— Afzo (@afzal45m) December 12, 2019
India faced Australia in the group stages of the 2007 T20 World Cup in which Yuvraj Singh displayed his immense class. After early dismissals of India’s top batting order, Yuvraj took matters into his own hands. Coming in at 4, he scored a total of 70 runs off just 30 balls at an unreal strike rate of 233.33 which helped India take their tally to 183. One thing that we shouldn’t forget from that knock was Yuvraj hitting a 119 meter long six off one of the best bowlers of the time – Brett Lee.
1. Yuvraj Singh – 58 of 16 vs England
19 September 2007 , India vs England ICC World T20 .
Stuart Board to Yuvraj singh
18.1 6️⃣
18.2 6️⃣
18.3 6️⃣
18.4 6️⃣
18.5 6️⃣
18.6 6️⃣#HappyBirthdayYuvrajSingh #HappyBirthdayYuvi pic.twitter.com/0Qicq9F0iW— Akhil Rebelli (@akhilrebelli) December 11, 2019
Yuvraj Singh’s knock against England in the 2007 T20 WC Final is undoubtedly one of the best innings we have seen in T20 format. Yuvraj Singh went on to score 58 runs off just 16 deliveries with a mind-boggling strike rate of 362.50. Six sixes in six balls in the T20 format was no longer a fantasy after this match. It all started off with Andrew Flintoff sledding Yuvraj, but Stuart Broad who was given the over after that had to face the consequence as the former Indian cricketer knocked the ball out of the park on all six occasions. It’s one of those “where were you when it happened” moments that remain etched in the memory of every Indian cricket fan.
[Image Credit: @paraskathole]
Shashank Iyer