The T20 World Cup is a showpiece event in the cricketing world. Putting out incredible performances on such a grand stage is on every player’s mind.
Batters, in particular, enjoy a lot with conditions going in their favour. Over the years, we have seen many batters dazzle the field with remarkable batting knocks.
In this article, we’ll look at the 5 best batting performances in T20 World Cup history.
Carlos Brathwaite | 34* vs England, 2016
The 2016 T20 World Cup Final witnessed some unbelievable hitting from Carlos Brathwaite. The West Indies were chasing the target of 156 runs set by England at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
To lift the trophy for the second time, the Windies required 19 runs off the last 6 balls. Brathwaite was the man on the crease, ready to finish the job.
Before that, he had faced only 6 deliveries, scoring 10 runs, including a four. The task was steep, but he didn’t succumb to the pressure.
Brathwaite unleashed his inner beast and slammed 4 consecutive sixes to take the Windies home in style. He remained not out on 34 off 10 balls, with a strike rate of 340!
Michael Hussey | 60* vs Pakistan, 2010
Michael Hussey’s rapid 60 not out helped Australia advance to the final of the 2010 edition. And his knock came as a saviour as the Aussies were grappling on 105 for 5 against Pakistan in pursuit of a 192-run target.
After David Hussey departed on 105, his brother Michael joined Cameron White in the middle. Michael didn’t waste too many balls and got going, smashing 2 massive sixes to Shahid Afridi.
A couple of wickets fell soon, but that didn’t stop him from counter-attacking the Pakistani bowlers. He regularly kept fetching boundaries and kept Australia in the fight.
The match went down to the wire, with 18 needed off the last over. Mitchell Johnson took a single off the ball, bringing Michael on strike.
Then he launched the ball for six, six, four, and six to thrash Pakistan in the semi-final with 1 ball to spare.
Marlon Samuels | 78 vs Sri Lanka, 2012
Just like Marlon Samuels (85*) played a crucial role in the West Indies 2016 title triumph alongside Brathwaite, he played one such knock in their 2012 victory as well.
The West Indies were up against hosts Sri Lanka in the 2012 T20 World Cup Final in Colombo. Daren Sammy won the toss and elected to bat first.
However, the decision didn’t go down well, as the Windies lost their first wicket on the fifth ball, prompting Samuels to walk in the middle in the first over itself.
In the last over of the powerplay, another wicket fell, and they managed only 12 runs in the first 6 overs. Samuels decided to hold on to one end, ticking the scoreboard with singles and doubles.
But in the 13th over, he came out of the shell and hammered 3 sixes to Lasith Malinga. That released some pressure and Samuels went all guns blazing.
Before he got out, he slammed 3 more sixes and 2 fours, scoring 78 off 56. His critical knock helped the Windies post 137 runs, which proved to be more than enough, as their bowlers cleaned up Sri Lanka for 101.
Virat Kohli | 82* vs Australia, 2016
Virat Kohli hardly fails to perform against big giants when it matters the most. He delivered a fantastic knock while chasing against Australia when India was in contention to book a semi-final spot in the 2016 edition.
Batting first, Australia managed to score a modest 160 runs in Mohali. While chasing the target, India didn’t get the desired start and were reeling at 49 for 3 in 7.4 overs.
Then Kohli decided to step up, showcasing his temperament to thrive in pressure situations. Till the 17th over, he kept the scorecard ticking by rotating strikes.
But in the last 3 overs, he shifted his gears, tearing apart James Faulkner and Nathan Coulter-Nile for 6 fours and 1 six. That assault brought India close to victory, with MS Dhoni finishing the proceedings by hitting a four on the first ball of the 20th over.
King Kohli remained unbeaten on the crease, scoring 82 runs off 51 balls at a strike rate of 160.78. His epic knock showed the perfect balance of anchoring and accelerating an innings.
Chris Gayle | 117 vs South Africa, 2007
This list can’t be complete without Chris Gayle, who set new benchmarks for batting in T20 cricket. The Universe Boss delighted the fans with his 117-run knock against South Africa in the first-ever T20 World Cup match in 2007.
After being asked to bat first, Chris Gayle went on a rampage to provide a fitting start to the inaugural T20 World Cup. He started with a four on the first ball and never slowed down, dispatching the ball towards the boundary ropes.
Gayle forged a stellar opening partnership of 145 runs with Devon Smith. In between, he raced off to his fifty in 26 balls.
The mighty Caribbean batter was in no mood to stop his bashing. He reached his century off 50 balls, making him the first centurion in the T20I format.
Eventually, he got out on 117 runs, enabling the Windies to post 205 runs on the board. However, Gayle’s blitzkrieg went in vain as South Africa chased the target with 8 wickets and 14 balls to spare.
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