T20 World Cup: A curtain raiser

With the on-field action of the Indian Premier League done and dusted, it’s time to head to the Caribbean for the third ICC World Twenty20.

The IPL tamasha is behind us and the T20 World Cup is upon us within 5 days. A sea-change of loyalties and a welcome freedom from glitz, glamour, inane and mindless advertisements and off-field happenings. More importantly, contests would be between countries.

The T20 WC would be like a zephyr in an oasis and I am looking forward to unfancied teams such as Afghanistan, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh causing an upset or two or three. Possibly the nicest thing to happen to world cricket would be if Afghanistan enters the last four. Two of these four teams in the last four would be still greater.

In this article, I am looking at the top performances in the 53 matches of the two previous World Cups. The first is a table of the Top 10 Batting performances.

Dilshan’s outstanding 96 out of a middling total of 158 is the best ever T20 WC batting performance. This was against a top team also. West Indies owns three of the Top 10 Batting performances while India and Sri Lanka have two performances each. Australia’s lacklustre performances in T20 Internationals are indicated by their batsmen’s absence from this table.

RP Singh’s incisive spell of 4 top wickets for 13, defending only an average total of 153, is the top bowling performer in World Cups. This was also against a top team. Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa have two performances each. Stuart Clark at least got Australia into this table.

Bravo’s mindboggling all-round performance of 66 in 36 balls and 4 for 38, that too against India, is the best ever T20 WC all-round performance. This is also the best all-round performances in all T20 matches, including IPL. West Indies owns four of the Top 10 Batting performances while South Africa and Pakistan have two performances each. Australia is again missing from this table.

I expect Bravo’s all-round performance to remain unsurpassed during the ensuing WC. However, the other two could very well be overhauled especially the Batting one.

The best team performance was during the second league of the 2007 edition of the WC. Australia dismissed Sri Lanka for 101 through Stuart Clark (4 for 20). Then they knocked off the runs in 10.2 overs without losing a single wicket. Their bowling success, utilization of only 50% of the balls resources and the availability of 100% of the wickets resources all contributed to this position. This is also the best ever team performance in all T20 matches including IPL.