(Reuters Photo)
India is set to kick off their journey at the 2024 T20 World Cup against Ireland in New York on Wednesday. The Men in Blue, champions of the inaugural edition in South Africa in 2007, boast the best win-loss ratio in the tournament’s history. From Gautam Gambhir’s stellar 75 in the final in Johannesburg to Yuvraj Singh’s historic feat of six consecutive sixes off Stuart Broad, and from Virat Kohli’s memorable 82 against Pakistan at the MCG to R Ashwin’s impactful four-wicket haul against Australia in Mirpur, let’s delve into 10 intriguing statistics that mark India’s T20 World Cup journey.
The pinnacle of the 2007 edition in South Africa saw a remarkable 75 as the highest individual score in the final match.
Gautam Gambhir’s remarkable innings in the 2007 final against Pakistan in Johannesburg saw him contribute nearly half of India’s total score of 157/5. Opening the innings, Gambhir blazed his way to 75 runs off just 54 deliveries, standing tall even as other top-order batsmen faltered. Four years later, Gambhir once again proved his mettle in a World Cup final, this time against Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 2011, where he top-scored for India with a brilliant 97.
It’s noteworthy that a similar accomplishment was attained by the daring Indian opener, Kris Srikkanth. He emerged as the top scorer for India in the final of the 1983 World Cup against the West Indies at Lord’s before once again shining with a superb 67 in the final of the Benson and Hedges World Championship of Cricket against Pakistan at the MCG in 1985.
141 marks the score of both teams in the first-ever tied match in T20 World Cup history.
In a historic clash during the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in Durban, India and Pakistan played out an unforgettable tie. India, batting first, rode on a blistering 39-ball 50 from Robin Uthappa to set a target of 141/9 in their allotted 20 overs, with Mohammed Asif claiming four wickets for Pakistan. Despite a steady loss of wickets, Pakistan remained in the game until a late resurgence from Misbah-ul-Haq (53 off 35 balls) nearly secured a remarkable victory. Requiring 42 runs off the last 3 overs, Misbah almost single-handedly brought Pakistan to the brink of triumph before S Sreesanth’s stellar final two deliveries, conceding no runs, led to the thrilling tie. This match remains one of only four tied encounters in the T20 World Cup’s history.
India emerged victorious in the bowl-out, securing a 3-0 win as Sehwag, Harbhajan, and Uthappa successfully hit the stumps, hitting the bull’s-eye with precision.
The highest cumulative total in a single edition of the T20 World Cup stands at 319.
Virat Kohli’s exceptional performance in the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh secured him the record for the most runs in a single edition of the tournament. Kohli amassed a total of 319 runs across six innings, which included four half-centuries. Among his standout innings was a resilient 77 off 58 balls in the final against Sri Lanka, although it came in a losing effort.
The highest number of 50-plus scores in the T20 World Cup stands at 14.
Kohli’s performance in the marquee tournament has been remarkably consistent, boasting an impressive tally of 14 fifty-plus scores in just 25 innings, the highest by any batter in the T20 World Cup. Following him closely are Chris Gayle and Rohit Sharma, each with nine 50-plus scores.
With an unparalleled total of 1141 runs, Kohli stands as the leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup, maintaining an exceptional average of 81.5 and a striking rate of 131.3! Remarkably, he clinched the title of the tournament’s leading run-getter in both 2014 and 2022.
Kohli’s pivotal innings of 82, which led to a match-winning performance against Pakistan at the MCG, stands out as a significant highlight.
In a breathtaking display of skill and determination, Kohli guided India to victory with an unbeaten 82 runs off just 53 deliveries against arch-rivals Pakistan at the MCG in 2022, earning widespread acclaim as one of the greatest innings in T20 World Cup history. Facing a daunting situation with India reeling at 7 for 1, which worsened to 10 for 2, 26 for 3, and 31 for 4, Kohli remained composed throughout. He formed a crucial partnership with Hardik Pandya, propelling India to an improbable win off the penultimate delivery of the match. Facing a daunting target of 48 runs off the last three overs against formidable bowlers like Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, Kohli showcased his prowess by turning the seemingly impossible task into reality. His straight-bat punch off the back foot against Rauf, resulting in the ball soaring into the stands, etched his name into the annals of cricketing legends.
Among Indian cricketers, Kohli holds a remarkable record, boasting six out of the top 10 highest scores at the T20 World Cup.
Kohli’s brilliance in the T20 World Cup is evident as he holds the record for six out of the top 10 highest scores by an Indian in the tournament. Among his remarkable innings, his highest score was an unforgettable unbeaten 89 off just 47 deliveries in a semi-final match against the West Indies in Mumbai in 2016, despite ending up on the losing side. Another standout performance was his unbeaten 82 off just 51 deliveries against Australia in Mohali, where he single-handedly guided India to victory with five deliveries to spare, amidst the failures of his teammates. And of course, Kohli’s memorable 82 against Pakistan in Melbourne has already etched its place in cricketing folklore!
The fastest 50 in T20 World Cup history was achieved in just 12 deliveries.
Yuvraj Singh’s explosive innings against England in Durban during the 2007 T20 World Cup remains a memorable moment in cricket history. He unleashed a barrage of six consecutive sixes off Stuart Broad’s over, ultimately reaching a lightning-fast 50 off just 12 deliveries. This remarkable feat still stands as the fastest fifty ever recorded in T20 World Cup history.
The most outstanding bowling figures by an Indian at the T20 World Cup stand at 4-11.
R Ashwin’s exceptional performance against Australia in Mirpur during the 2014 T20 World Cup saw him claim four crucial wickets, including those of Aaron Finch, David Warner, and Glenn Maxwell, while conceding just 11 runs in his allotted 4 overs. These remarkable figures remain the best by an Indian bowler in the T20 World Cup. Interestingly, Ashwin holds the title of the leading wicket-taker for India in the tournament, having taken 32 wickets in 24 appearances, with a striking rate of 15.9 and an economy rate of 6.49.
The solitary century by an Indian batter in the T20 World Cup is marked by the number 101.
Suresh Raina’s stellar innings of 101 runs off just 60 deliveries during India’s 14-run triumph against South Africa in Gros Islet in 2010 stands as the sole century by an Indian batter at the T20 World Cup.
India boasts the most impressive win-loss ratio in T20 World Cup history, standing at 1.8.
With 27 wins and 15 losses out of 44 matches played at the T20 World Cup, India holds the top spot for the best win-loss ratio among all major nations at the tournament. Following closely are Australia and South Africa, both with a ratio of 1.66, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka trail with ratios of 1.6 and 1.5, respectively.
