5 Best 'Knocks' Of T20 World Cup

The latest edition​ of the World T20 championship is round the corner and Derek Abraham picks the five best knocks in the event.

- Derek Abraham

70 off 30 balls, semi-finals, India vs. Australia, Durban (Kingsmead), 2007 ICC World Twenty20

Just like Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘Desert Storm’ of 1998, Yuvraj Singh’s ‘Durban Dhamaka’ was about two spectacular knocks. If the first put Stuart Broad — or should we say Andrew Flintoff — in his place, the second one powered India into the final of the inaugural edition of the tournament. All inside three days! Batting first, India was reduced to 41 for two at the end of the eighth over of the second semi-final. Pakistan had won the other clash, against New Zealand, at a canter. Fresh from his six-appeal-strutting stuff against England, Yuvraj got off the mark with a ferocious pull off Stuart Clark. He clobbered the same bowler for two more sixes besides collecting one each off Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken.

In a little over six overs, Yuvraj added a whopping 84 runs in the company of Robin Uthappa. Dhoni kept him company for another three overs that fetched 30 runs. By the time he was dismissed in the 16th over, Yuvraj had done some serious damage to Australia’s psyche.

Later, an inspired attack led by S. Sreesanth, bowled with verve as India won by 15 runs.

96 not out off 57 balls, semifinals, Sri Lanka vs. West Indies, London (The Oval), 2009 ICC World Twenty20

It’s not often that a batsman outscores, outshines and overshadows Sanath Jayasuriya. Tillakaratne Dilshan did that and more as Sri Lanka marched into the final of the second edition of the tournament.

The 57-run victory was achieved on Dilshan’s bedrock of a knock, one that saw him come within a shot of becoming only the second player to hit a hundred in Twenty20 Internationals. Sri Lanka posted 158 for five after it was asked to bat at The Oval.