5 memorable batting performances at the ICC T20 World Cup that don't fade away
The ICC T20 World Cup is in its sixth edition and there have been five different winners so far, demonstrating the nature of the tournament and how tough it is to be consistent in it. T20 is exciting because things change really fast, and this list of top 5 memorable batting performances in the tournament over the years is ample proof of that.Sample this more than 175 half-centuries have been scored so far in the T20 World Cup, all the editions put together. The fastest has been scored at a whopping strike-rate of 362.50 and the 50th fastest has still been scored at a scintillating 165.71. If that doesnt prove the flamboyancy of the batsmen, what does?Picking just five memorable performances from a huge list of game-changing, highly impactful innings is an extremely arduous job, and there will always be a few that will sit on the fringe. Joe Roots signature 44-ball knock of 83 was certainly one of the most memorable World T20 performances of all time, but it just missed out on this list as do a number of other gems.These are all equally good, equally mesmerising knocks that just missed out for example, Mahela Jayawardenes 98* against West Indies, Rohit Sharmas 79*, a lone-man fight against a fiery Australian bowling line-up, or Glenn Maxwells 74 in a losing cause against Pakistan in Mirpur.The highest individual score in a World T20 match, 123 by Brendon McCullum against Bangladesh in the 2012 edition, will also miss out. That's because we have taken into account the impact, the result and even the pressure of a chase or of a big match while compiling this list.All of these innings comprise moments that don't fade away, much like the Axe Signature line of body perfumes. So without further ado, here is the list:
#5 Yuvraj Singh - 70 in 30 balls v Australia
It was a tight call between this one and two other knocks – JP Duminy’s sensational 86 in 43 balls against New Zealand in Chittagong and Umar Akmal’s 94 against Australia in Mirpur, both in the 2014 World Cup. Both were brilliant innings, and deserve to be celebrated.
However, the India vs Australia semifinal was a far bigger match, and that changes things. Yuvraj’s 70 off just 30 balls included 5 sixes and 5 fours against a bowling line-up that included Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken and Mitchell Johnson.
The strike-rate of 233 ensured India had a big total of 188 which they defended well, taking them to the final of the 2007 T20 World Cup, which they eventually won. That the runs came on a Durban pitch that favours fast bowling is the icing on the cake.