‘ICC T20I Performance of the Year’ over the last 10 years

The advent of T20 saw a larger number of viewers for cricket across the globe as the shortened format gave just the right dose of cricket entertainment. After the first T20I took place in 2005 between Australia and New Zealand, other teams started including T20 fixtures in their tours to promote the format and also for increased revenues.

ICC recognised that a 20-over World Cup once in two years would be just what cricket economics was looking for and thus took place the inaugural edition of the WT20 in 2007 in South Africa.

Ever since, the ICC has added an award to its list of awards, presented at the annual ICC Awards night, to recognise the most outstanding T20I performance in the period for which the awards are judged. The award has now been given ten times and no player has won it more than once.

Let us take a look at the brilliant performances that the ICC bestowed upon with the prestigious award:

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2008: Yuvraj Singh

On September 19, 2007, in a must-win match against England in the inaugural edition of the WT20 in South Africa, Yuvraj Singh created his history by smashing pacer Stuart Brand for six sixes in an over and in the process completed a twelve ball half century, the fastest in the format till date.

Yuvraj’s innings, a 14-ball 58, not just helped India win the match but also changed the course of the tournament in India’s favour as Dhoni’s young brigade went on to defeat South Africa, Australia and Pakistan in consecutive matches to put their hands on the silverware.

Other contenders: MS Dhoni for leading India to WT20 glory; Chris Gayle’s 117 off 57 balls in the tournament opener; Brett Lee’s achievement of picking up the first hat-trick in the format against Bangladesh in the same event.

2009: Tillakaratne Dilshan

Dilshan gave the game his innovative Dilscoop

On June 19, 2009, in the semi-final of the ICC W20 being played at the Oval, Sri Lankan opener Dilshan bludgeoned his way past the Windies attack as he hit 12 fours and two sixes en route his 57-ball 96 runs effort.

The ICC award for the best T20I performance of the year was the apt way of not just rewarding his match-winning knock, but also his innovative shot over the keeper’s head which took the name ‘Dilscoop’ and his Player of the tournament performance in the same event.

Other contenders: Chris Gayle’s 88 off 50 balls against Australia at the Oval; Umar Gul’s spell of 5-6 against New Zealand; Shahid Afridi’s all-round effort of a 34-ball 51 and 2-16 in the semi-final against South Africa, all three of which came at the WT20 2009.

2010: Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum is one of the most devastating openers of all time

In a T20I against Australia in Christchurch in February 2010, Kiwi opener Brendon McCullum scored an unbeaten 116 off just 56 balls, a match-winning knock that constituted 12 fours and eight sixes.

This was the first instance that a T20I performance that did not occur at the World Cup was chosen for this award. It is worthy to note that the former Blackcaps skipper, who ended up with 2140 runs, held the record for the most runs in T20I’s till recently when compatriot Martin Guptill went past him.

Other contenders: Michael Hussey’s 24 ball unbeaten 60 against Pakistan in the semi-final of ICC WT20 2010; Ryan McLaren’s 5-19 against the Windies; and Mahela Jayawardene’s twin effort of 100 against Zimbabwe and 98 against Windies in the same multi-team event.

2011: Tim Southee

Southee is an underrated bowling talent

Following in the footsteps of countrymate McCullum, New Zealand pace bowler Tim Southee was the recipient of the 2011 edition of the award. Southee’s spell of 5-18 against Pakistan on Boxing Day at Auckland helped him achieve the honours.

His five wickets, all which were picked up in the space of nine balls, included a hat-trick that sent back Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal as Pakistan slumped to defeat.

Other contenders: Time Bresnan’s 4-3 against Pakistan at Cardiff; JP Duminy’s 96* off 54 balls versus Zimbabwe in Kimberley and Shane Watson’s 31-ball 59 against England in Adelaide.

2012: Richard Levi

Levi will be remembered as a

one match

wonder

On February 19, 2012, in a T20I against New Zealand at Hamilton, South African opener Richard Levi, featuring in only his second International match, muscled his way to a record-breaking 117 runs that came of just 51 balls as the Proteas cruised to victory.

Levi hit five fours to go along with his 13 sixes, then a record for most sixes in a T20I innings as he left the Kiwi attack clueless. Not just this, he also broke Gayle and McCullum’s 50 ball record of the fastest T20I century as he reached the three-figure mark in just 45 balls.

Other contenders: Tillakaratne Dilshan for his 104* (57) against Australia; Ajanta Mendis for his 6-16 against the Aussies; Chris Gayle’s 52 ball unbeaten 85 versus the Kiwis in Florida

2013: Umar Gul

Gul is one of Pakistan's most successful T20 bowlers

Pakistan pacer Umar Gul had always proven his worth as an effective T20 bowler but his moment of recognition came in a T20I against South Africa on March 3, 2013, at Centurion when he single-handedly blew apart the Proteas batting order for a mere 100 runs.

His match figures that read 2.2-0-6-5 not just won him the Man of the Match award but also the ICC award for T20I performance of 2013.

Gul had earlier been nominated for exactly similar match figures against New Zealand in 2009 but missed out on the award that time around.

Other contenders: Ajantha Mendis for his stupendous figures of 6-8 versus Zimbabwe at Hambantota; Martin Guptill’s 69-ball 101* against South Africa at East London; Brendon McCullum’s 123 (58) against Bangladesh at Pallekele at WT20 2012.

2014: Aaron Finch

Finch holds the record for the highest individual T20I score

In a T20I against England at Southampton played on August 29, 2013, Australian opener Aaron Finch created history when he walked back to the pavilion after is 63-ball innings of 156. The knock that came at a strike rate of 247.61 included 14 sixes which is a T20I record and is also the highest individual score in a T20I.

Finch’s knock prompted the Australian management to promote him to the role of skipper and it also rocketed him to the numero uno position on the ICC Rankings for T20 batsmen.

Other contenders: Alex Hales for his knock of 116 (57) against Sri Lanka in Chittagong; Rangana Herath for an eye-boggling spell of 3.3-2-3-5 against the Kiwis at Chittagong in the 2014 edition of ICC WT20.

2015: Faf du Plessis

The only T20I performance of the year in a losing cause

In a series against the Windies that saw many noteworthy performances, South African skipper Faf du Plessis walked away with the award for his innings of 119 that came off 56 balls. Having hit 11 fours and five sixes on his way to the landmark, du Plessis’ effort remains the only performance that came in a losing cause, yet presented with this award.

The South African captain across all formats has to his credit 1191 T20I runs scored at a healthy average of 36.09 and at a strike rate of 133.22.

Other contenders: Chris Gayle’s match-winning 90 off 41 balls against the Proteas at Johannesburg; Morne van Vyk’s 70-ball 114*; David Wiese’s 5-23 versus the Windies at Durban.

2016: Carlos Brathwaite

In what could be labelled as one of the most effective of all innings (34* off 10 balls) in cricket history, Windies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite’s last over heroics in the finals of the ICC WT20, 2016 at Kolkata deserved to win this award.

With Ben Stokes coming on to bowl the final over and 19 runs to defend, England were firm favourites before Brathwaite swashed Stokes for four consecutive sixes to pouch the match and the title for his country and with it etched his name in golden letters of cricket history.

Other contenders: Joe Root’s 83 against South Africa at Mumbai; Virat Kohli’s 82* versus Australia at Mohali; Marlon Samuels’ 85* in the same match as Brathwaite’s innings; Mustafizur Rahman’s 5-22 against the Kiwis at Kolkata.

2017: Yuzvendra Chahal

Chahal has taken giant strides in international cricket since his debut

In a tall chase of 203 against the Indians, English batsmen fell like a house of cards as they lost 8 wickets in the space of 8 runs. The wrecker-in-chief was leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal who has since taken giant strides in international cricket.

Adapted to bowl at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, one where spinners often fear to bowl owing to the ground’s dimensions, Chahal was on top of his game as he finished with career-best figures of 6-25.

Other contenders: Even Lewis for his match-winning 125* against India which came in double quick time; Imran Tahir for his spell of 5-24 against New Zealand at Auckland