T20 World Cup: The Indian team has always provided its supporters with incredibly memorable moments on and off the pitch on the biggest of stages. The team has achieved heights that many other top-level teams can barely think of.
Blessed with immensely talented players who have taken the team to several unimaginable feats over the years, India has always turned out to be a cricketing giant in major tournaments. So is the story in the T20 world cups where the Indian team has proved its sheer dominance time and time again with several noteworthy performances.
It’s time for us to have a look at three of India’s most memorable wins in T20 world matches so far.
India vs Australia (2016 T20 World Cup)
At no.3 in the list is India’s famous win over Australia in the group stage match of the 2016 T20 World Cup. The match was a must-win one for India in order to qualify for the semi-finals. Australia had put up a healthy-looking total of 160 on the board after batting first.
India during the early stages of their chase looked extremely shaky after losing Rohit, Dhawan and Raina early on inside the first 8 overs. The required run rate was soaring higher with each passing over. It was then that Virat Kohli who came into bat at no.3 took matters into his own hand and began bringing India back into the game.
He displayed some incredibly good strokeplay and range of shots as he took the bowlers to cleaners effortlessly. He smashed a highly crucial half-century and ended up with 82* off 51 balls to help India chase down the total with 5 balls and 6 wickets to spare. This famous win helped India to reach the semi-finals of the World T20 2016.
India vs South Africa (2012 T20 World Cup)
Another memorable victory for India in a World T20 match came against South Africa in the 2012 edition of the tournament. It was a must-win game for India in order to qualify for the semi-finals. Moreover, India had to win by a specific margin in order to overtake Pakistan for a spot in the semis.
Batting first in the crunch match India didn’t have the start they were looking for as they lost their top order early. Sehwag, Gambhir and Kohli all went early with India reeling at 36/3 inside the powerplay.
Yuvraj and Rohit then provided some bit of stability to the innings and started to steer the innings. Yuvraj was soon dismissed as well and the innings came to a standstill again.
The proteas did brilliantly well to halt the Indian innings with regular wickets. After the fall of Rohit in the 16th over, Raina and dhoni stitched on a crucial 40-run partnership to help India reach 152/6 in their 20 overs. India had to restrict South Africa to a score of 121 or below in order to qualify.
India had a flyer of a start with the ball as they removed the South African top order early. Amla, Kallis and de Villiers went back cheaply but du Plessis clung on. The right-hander was finding the boundaries more often and taking the total closer to 121.
By the time he was dismissed for 65 off 38 balls the damage was already done. South Africa managed to get past 121 and defeat India’s purpose of reaching the semis.
However, the game went on till the last over wherein 14 runs were needed. In an over that included 2 sixes and wickets, Laxmipathy Balaji managed to hold his nerves and help India register a memorable 1-run victory.
India vs Pakistan (2007 T20 World Cup)
Undoubtedly India’s finest victory in a T20 world match came against Pakistan in the final of the innaugral T20 World Cup back in 2007. Batting first in the big final, India was being jolted by regular blows from the Pakistani bowlers who were regularly picking wickets.
However, Gautam Gambhir didn’t let the momentum go down and continued to maintain the run rate and kept on finding the boundaries. He smashed a memorable 75 off 57 balls to help India post a respectable total on the board. Some late hitting from a 20-year-old Rohit Sharma saw India post 157/5 in the 20 overs.
Pakistan came out with all guns during their chase as opener Imran Nazir started to blast fours and sixes right from ball 1. A fine throw from Robin Uthappa sent the right-hander back for 33. RP Singh on the other hand never let the batters settle down for long and picked wickets on a regular basis during his spell.
Once India managed to find the breakthroughs, it seemed like a point of no return for Pakistan’s batting lineup as all the batters went on to throw their wickets away recklessly with their side reduced to 77/6 at one stage. However once Misbah Ul Haq started to stitch partnerships with the lower order batters, it seemed as if the game was still evenly poised.
Misbah continued to score runs amidst the falling wickets and at one stage Pakistan needed 13 runs to win off the last 6 balls with one wicket left. In spite of having almost sealed the game with a huge hit in the second ball of the over for a massive six, Misbah played a mistaken scoop shot in the immediate next ball and was dismissed.
Pakistan fell short by 5 runs as India emerged victorious in the historic final of the first ever T20I World Cup. This indeed was India’s sweetest ever moment in the shortest format of the game.
15 years to the day, India still hasn’t managed to repeat this achievement in the T20 World Cups once again thereon.
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