2016 was the year that saw T20Is dominate the calendar like never before, at least as far as India are concerned. In the first three months of the calendar year, aside from bilaterial series, there was also the Asia Cup, which took place in T20I format and the 2016 World T20 that took place in India.
Although T20Is have been relatively infrequent after the conclusion of the World T20, there were certainly plenty of games that took place, which gave several superstars the opportunity to break records. And the likes of Shahid Afridi, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Chris Gayle and co. did just that.
So what were the major records that were broken in T20Is in 2016? While there were several World T20 related records that were equalled and broken, here are the major records that were broken in the format in the calendar year:
First team to win two World T20s
West Indies may not be in great shape when it comes to the longest format of the game but as far as the shortest one is concerned, there can be little arguments about their incredible ability to win matches and rack up titles. And that is precisely what they did in the 2016 World T20.
Prior to the start of sixth edition of the the tournament, one record looked very likely to be broken. In the five previous editions of the tournament, there had been five different winners in India, Pakistan, England, West Indies and Sri Lanka. Although South Africa, Australia and New Zealand hadn’t won it yet, there was a very good chance that a team could become the first double World T20 champion.
And to no one’s great surprise that turned out to be the West Indies as Darren Sammy continued his incredible record in the format by winning his and West Indies second World T20 title by beating England.
Most sixes in T20Is
When Brendon McCullum called time on his international career, there were many records that he held. One of them that no longer belong to him is the record for most sixes in T20Is. Although Chris Gayle is the leading run-scorer in T20s, in T20Is it is still held by the former New Zealand captain, who remains the only player to have scored over 2,000 T20I runs.
However, in the 2016 World T20, during Chris Gayle’s record-breaking century, he overtook McCullum on the all-time six-hitting charts in the formats and is in pole position to become the first player to hit 100 T20I sixes. Before the start of the World T20, McCullum, with 91 sixes had a slight advantage over the West Indian opener.
Extra Cover: Records broken by Chris Gayle against England in their World T20 opener
But that advantage didn’t even last more than a single game as Gayle hit 11 sixes in his century in the opener against England which his side won and finished out with 98 sixes to his name. With Martin Guptill, who is second amongst active players still only on 76, it is fair to say that the West Indian will have the record for a while yet.
Most matches and wickets in World T20s
The 2016 World T20 was a record-breaking one in more ways than one. The tournament that was won by the West Indies saw plenty of records being created, including four batsmen recording in excess of 200 runs in the tournament, the record for most matches and wickets were also broken.
Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan may have retired from international cricket in 2016 but that was not before he claimed the record for most appearances in World T20s in the sixth edition of the tournament. He overtook his compatriots Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga and now holds the record for taking part in most World T20 matches. His tally of 35 is one more than Shahid Afridi who is in second place while MS Dhoni is third with 33 matches.
Afridi may not have claimed the record for most appearances in the tournament but he has the record for most wickets. Lasith Malinga held the previous record with 38 wickets but it is now the Pakistani all-rounder who has it with 39 wickets to his name.
Highest partnership in T20Is
Although scoring rates have gone through the roof ever since T20s came into existence, building a partnership is still a key facet of the game, even amidst the blink and you might miss action of T20s. So it is no surprise to see that despite scores being massive, there have only been seven 150 plus partnerships in T20Is.
While that number itself seems massive considering there is just a total of 120 balls to play with, it isn’t surprising given the pace at which most players score these days. Two of the top five highest partnerships in the history of T20Is came in 2016, including the all-time highest partnership.
Chasing 169 for victory against Pakistan in the second T20I at Hamilton, the new-look opening partnership of Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill not only got their side over the line but also put on 171 runs for the opening wicket beating the previous record of 170 held by Loots Bosman and Graeme Smith against England in 2009.
Both players got to their fifties and ended with a strike rate of 150 as the Kiwis got home with 14 balls to spare and a world record to their name while also making lightwork of what seemed like a stiff target.
Most runs and fifties in a calendar year
Virat Kohli is a man who has been simply unstoppable in 2016. He may not be at the top of the run-scoring charts in 2016 when it comes to ODIs and Tests but in T20Is, no one has been able to catch him. During the World T20, he became the first player to score 500 runs in T20Is in a calendar year and he ends the year with an average that even Don Bradman would be proud of.
Extra Cover: Most runs in international cricket across all formats in 2016
In his 15 T20I matches in 2016, Virat Kohli showed just why he is one of the best batsmen in the world as he scored 641 runs at an average of 106.8 and a strike rate of 140 with seven fifties to his name. In the process, he shattered the previous record of most T20I runs in a calendar year that was held by Martin Guptill for his 472 in 2012.
His seven fities also broke the previous record of most fifties in a calendar year, which he jointly-held with Kumar Sangakkara and Dilshan with five but he now has sole command of the record. And it goes without saying that he is the only player in the history of the game to finish a calendar year with an average in excess of 100 in limited-overs cricket.
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