Top 5 knocks in T20 World Cup

The World T20, since its inception has provided numerous masterpieces where the willow has taken the seam to the cleaners. Here’s the list of the top five T20 WC knocks ever!

5) Chris Gayle:

Score: 75*(41)

Opposition: Australia

Stage: Semi-Finals, ICC World T20, 2012

Strike-Rate: 182.92

Result: West Indies won

Because -

1. The occasion was a huge one: Semi-final of a World Cup.2. The opposition were the perennial favourites of the game.3. There was as much pressure on Gayle as Baba Ramdev tries to put on the Government.4. It was the main reason behind the crushing victory over the perennial favourites.

4) Marlon Samuels

Marlon Samuels led his team to their first T20 WC title..!!

Score: 78 (56)

Opposition: Sri Lanka

Stage: Final, ICC World T20, 2012

Strike Rate: 139.28

Result: West Indies became T20 World Champions

Because -

1. It was the biggest stage a cricketer could dream of.2. The team was tottering at 38/2 after 11 overs.3. He hit double the number of sixes than fours (3 fours and 4 sixes).

3) Mike Hussey

Score: 60*(24)

Opposition: Pakistan

Stage: Semi-Finals, ICC World T20, 2010

Strike Rate: 250

Result: Australia reached the Finals from the clutches of defeat

Because -

1. The opposition were the defending champions.2. They needed 18 runs from the last over and one boundary & three sixers proved too much for the Pakistanis.3. He had only one wicket to play with when the scoreboard demanded towering sixes.

2) Yuvraj Singh:

Score: 70 (30)

Opposition: Australia

Stage: Super-Eights, ICC World T20, 2007

Strike Rate: 233.33

Result: India were still in contention for the title.

Because -

1. The opposition were the favourites to take away the trophy, having already won the 50-over WC a few months back.2. The expectations of a billion people could have been too much to handle for most.3. He hit one of the best in the business (Brett Lee) for the longest six of the tournament.

He forced the commentators to exclaim: “Yuvraj has gone berserk! I don’t think we need the boundary ropes here!”

1) Yuvraj Singh

Opposition: England

Stage: Semi-Finals, ICC World T20, 2007

Strike Rate: 362.50

Result: India were now in the finals of 1^st the World T20

Because -

1. You would glance four times at the Strike Rate and still not believe what your eyes read.2. Six sixes in six balls in T-20 Cricket was a no longer a fantasy after this knock.3. He made Flintoff swear that he would never sledge anyone again.4. He made sure that Stuart Broad would think twice before bowling length.5. He brought Kingsmead to its feet.6. He brought out the best emotions ever in Ravi Shastri’s commentary.7. This list is endless.8. This innings lent new meanings to the words: Thrilling, Explosive, Superhuman!9. This is heavenly:

Note: This piece of work takes into consideration the strike rate, the number of sixes hit and more importantly the platform/stage and the effect of the innings to the outcome of the game.