5 great batsmen who played their last T20 against India

The last decade or so has witnessed the tremendous rise of T20 format across the globe. From drawing more spectators towards the game to generating staggering revenues, cricket's shortest format has certainly taken the world by storm.

While lucrative career opportunities across several T20 leagues in the world have led many young batsmen to play aggressively and restrict themselves to limited overs, there have been many accomplished batsmen in the past who, in their short spans in T20I cricket, hadn't allowed the flamboyant game affect their form in other formats, thereby standing as the gleaming testimonies of champion batsmanship.

As we celebrate one great, Alastair Cook's last game against India, let's take a look at 5 such great batsmen who played their last T20 games against India.

#1 Kumar Sangakkara

Regarded as one of Sri Lanka's greatest players, Kumar Sangakkara made a marked presence in the T20 format as well. After making his T20I debut against England in 2006, Sangakkara went on to represent Sri Lanka in 56 games in the shortest format and scored 1382 runs at a strike rate of 119.55. The left-handed batsman, akin to his role in the other two formats, also kept wickets for the best part of his T20I career.

The grand finale of the ICC World T20 Championship on 6 April 2014, at Dhaka, marked Sangakkara's final game in his T20 career. The match saw Sri Lanka lock horns with India in a battle to win the elusive silverware. Chasing a target of 131 for victory, the Islanders were placed precariously at 41/2 when the veteran cricketer walked out to the middle and assumed charge. What followed was a treat to his fans as he scored a match-winning 52* to guide his team home and end his career on a fitting note.

#2 Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene had a memorable end to his T20 career.

One of Sri Lanka's favorite cricketing sons, Mahela Jayawardene carried his elan to the T20 format as well. In 55 T20I games for his country, the former captain scored 1493 runs at a decent strike rate of 133.18. Mahela, as he's known among his teammates, will also be remembered for his blistering hundred as an opener against Zimbabwe in the ICC World T20 Championship in 2010.

Jayawardene's last T20I coincided with that of his best pal, Kumar Sangakkara when they took the field against India in the final match of the ICC World T20 Championship on 6 April 2014 at Dhaka. The classy right-hander scored a run-a-ball 24 in his final T20I inning and lent a useful hand in helping Sri Lanka lift the much-coveted trophy.

#3 Jacques Kallis

Jacques Kallis couldn't end his T20 career on a high

Renowned as one of the greatest all-rounders to have ever played the game, Jacques Kallis had a pacifying presence in South Africa's T20 side as well. While the likes of AB de Villers and other flamboyant players blazed away at the other end, Kallis would often hold one end together and play an anchor role. The man from Cape Town also chipped in with a few handy wickets. In 25 T20I games, the legendary cricketer scored 666 runs and picked up 12 wickets.

Sadly though, Kallis couldn't end his T20I career in a way that he'd have liked. The South Africa vs India game on 2 October 2012 at Colombo at the ICC World T20 Championship marked his final international game in the shortest format. Kallis, who opened the innings while chasing a target of 153, fared poorly with the bat and scored just 6 runs as his side fell short of the target by an agonizing one run.

#4 Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist served as one of T20's ambassadors in the world cricket

When T20I cricket first broke on to the scene in 2005, Adam Gilchrist was deemed as one of the most fitting cricketers to play the format. The swashbuckling left-hander tore into the opposition's bowling attacks and blazed away right from the word go. However, his stats exemplify the fact that his heroics weren't to be witnessed in the shortest format for Australia. The 46-year-old played 13 T20 games for the Aussies and accounted for 272 runs with the bat.

Gilchrist played his last T20 game for Australia against India on 1 Feb 2008 at Melbourne. After bundling out the visitors for a paltry 74 runs, the former Aussie wicket-keeper batsman scored 25 runs and did his bit in making an easy work of the target.

#5 Matthew Hayden

Matthew Hayden played a limited number of T20I games in his career

Tall and sturdy with a domineering presence on the field, Matthew Hayden came as one of the finest left-handed batsmen of his era. Often seen opening the innings, Hayden played a crucial role in winning games for Australia with the T20 format being no different. Playing just 9 international games in cricket's newest format, the man from Queensland scored 308 runs with a healthy average and strike rate of 51.33 and 143.93 respectively.

His final T20 game for Australia came against India on 20 October 2007 at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai. However, unlike his first T20 against India at the ICC World Championship in the same year where he took the bowlers to the cleaners, Hayden was contained to just 17 runs in his final match.