Credit: Firstpost
As the year winds down, we revisit the T20 World Cup’s most shocking moments, where underdogs turned giants into mere mortals
Sport thrives on surprises, and the 2024 T20 World Cup provided plenty of reasons to applaud, gasp, and celebrate. From the slums of Kabul to the cricketing nooks of Canada and co-hosts USA, the competition showed that T20 cricket is as much about heart as it is about technique.
While stars grabbed the headlines, the underdogs seized the spotlight. Afghanistan's spectacular rise was the stuff of fairytales, while minnows like the United States and Canada showed us that even David could defeat Goliath in his day. Let's look at the events that had fans and cricket legends scratching their heads.
Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by 8 runs by the DLS method in a rain-affected thriller on June 25th, defying the odds and earning their first-ever T20 World Cup semifinal. Defending a modest score of 115, Rashid Khan's brilliant spell (4-23) and Naveen-ul-Haq's furious speed (4-26) secured a historic glory.
Top performers: Gurbaz 43, Rashid 4-23, Naveen 4-26.
Final score: Afghanistan 115/5 beat Bangladesh 105/10 by 8 runs (DLS).
On June 23rd, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (60 off 42) and Gulbadin Naib (4-20) dealt a devastating blow to Australia's World Cup prospects. Australia collapsed for 127 runs while chasing 149. Maxwell's lone resistance (59) couldn't save them from a 21-run loss.
Top performers: Gurbaz 60, Ibrahim Zadran 51, Gulbadin 4-20.
Final score: Afghanistan 148/6 beat Australia 127/10 by 21 runs.
Afghanistan dismantled New Zealand on June 8th, recording their most comprehensive win of the tournament. Gurbaz's 80 propelled Afghanistan to a comfortable 159/6 before Rashid Khan (4-17) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (4-17) combined to dismiss the Kiwis for 75.
Top performers: Gurbaz 80, Rashid 4-17, Farooqi 4-17.
Final score: Afghanistan 159/6 beat New Zealand 75/10 by 84 runs.
On June 7th, Canada surprised Ireland with their first T20 World Cup victory. Nikhil Dutta and Jeremy Gordon delivered with the ball, limiting Ireland to 125 in their pursuit of 137. Nicholas Kirton's 49 contributed significantly to the defendable total.
Top performers: Kirton 49, Gordon 2-16, Heyliger 2-18.
Final score: Canada 137/7 beat Ireland 125/7 by 12 runs.
On June 6th, the co-hosts, USA, pulled off the greatest upset of the group phases by beating PAK in a dramatic Super Over. Saurabh Netravalkar (2-18) and Nisarg Patel (2-22) stifled PAK’s chase, while Monank Patel's fifty helped the USA to 159. The United States scored 18 runs in the Super Over, while PAK managed just 13.
Top performers: Monank 50, Kenjige 3-30, Netravalkar 2-18.
Final score: USA 159/3 tied with PAK 159/7. The USA won in Super Over (18/1 vs 13/1).
The ICC picks the USA's victory over Pakistan as the biggest upset in T20 World Cup history. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/cehySBnbpq
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 7, 2024
Cricket usually is predictable at the highest level, but the T20 World Cup 2024 defied expectations. The unpredictability of T20 cricket shone brilliantly, reminding us that rankings and reputations mean little when teams play with passion.
So, as we say farewell to 2024, let's honour the excitement of the unexpected and the beauty of the game we love. Who knows. Perhaps 2025 will have even larger shocks for us!
