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The upcoming T20 World Cup in 2024, set to take place in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) following the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, has ignited a wave of excitement and anticipation. With 20 teams gearing ෴up for fierce competition, this event marks a significant moment in cricket history, being the first ICC World Cup hosted by the West Indies since 20ꦅ10 and offering the USA a chance to showcase its burgeoning cricketing prowess on a global stage.
T20 World Cup 2024 format dynamics
A total of 55 matches are scheduled to be played across nine cities, with three venues in the USA and six in the West Indies, promising a vibrant and diverse tournament atmosphere. The tournament’s format consists of four groups, each comprising five teams. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Eight phase, which precedes the semi-finals and the final. This structure ensures a thrilling and competitive journey as teams battle it out to advance through the stages and ultimately vie for the coveted trophy.
Cricketing powerhouses and emerging contenders
The T20 World Cup will see traditional cricketing powerhouses and emerging contenders battle for supremacy. The inclusion of 20 teams ensures a wide array of playing styles and strategies, making for an unpredictable and exciting tournament. Teams like India, Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand are expected to bring their A-game, while newer teams will look to make their mark and cause upsets. The diversity in team dynamics and playing conditions will add layers of intrigue to the competition. The inaugural edition was won by India in 2007 while the previous one was won by England in 2022.
Also READ: From Dinesh Karthik to Nasser Hussain: ICC unve𒈔ils the star-studded panel of commentators for T20 World Cup 2024
Here are the T20 World Cup winners and runners up from 2007 to 2022:
1. 2007 (South Africa): India
- Venue: Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Runner up: Pakistan
- Scores: India (157/5), Pakistan (152/6)
- Key Players: Joginder Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, RP Singh
India won by 5 runs in a nail-biting final.
Gautam Gambhir’s 75 runs off 54 balls provided a solid foundation.
RP Singh’s crucial wickets (3/26) helped defend the total.
Turning Point: The turning point of the match was when Misbah-ul-Haq attempted a scoop shot off the bowling of Joginder Sharma in the final over but ended up holing out to Sreesanth at short fine leg. This wicket sealed India’s victory by 5 runs, as Pakistan fell short of the target.
2. 2009 (England): Pakistan
- Venue: Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, England
- Runner up: Sri Lanka
- Scores: Sri Lanka (138/6), Pakistan (139/2)
- Key Players: Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul
Pakistan won by 8 wickets with 8 balls to spare.
Shahid Afridi’s all-round performance (3/20 and 54 runs) was pivotal.
Umar Gul’s economical spell (3/24) restricted Sri Lanka’s scoring.
Turning Point: The turning point came when Mohammad Amir dismissed the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan for 0 in the first over of Sri Lanka’s innings. This early breakthrough set the tone for Pakistan’s bowling attack and put Sri Lanka on the back foot from the start.
3. 2010 (West Indies): England
- Venue: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
- Runner up: Australia
- Scores: Australia (147/6) England (148/3)
- Key Players: Craig Kieswetter, Kevin Pietersen
England won by 7 wickets.
Craig Kieswetter’s explosive 63 off 49 balls set the tone for the chase.
Kevin Pietersen’s aggressive cameo (47 runs off 31 balls) ensured victory.
Turning Point: The turning point occurred when Kieswetter launched into Australia’s bowling attack, scoring a quickfire 63 off 49 balls. His aggressive batting at the top of the order provided England with a strong platform and set the tone for their successful chase.
4. 2012 (Sri Lanka): West Indies
- Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Runner up: Sri Lanka
- Scores: West Indies (137/6), Sri Lanka (101)
- Key Players: Marlon Samuels, Sunil Narine
West Indies won by 36 runs.
Marlon Samuels’ brilliant 78 off 56 balls anchored the innings.
Sunil Narine’s spell of 3/9 stifled Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.
Turning Point: The turning point came during the West Indies’ innings when Samuels anchored the innings with a brilliant knock of 78 runs off 56 balls. His innings provided stability to the West Indies’ innings and allowed them to set a competitive total, which ultimately proved to be beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.
5. 2014 (Bangladesh): Sri Lanka
- Venue: Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Runner up: India
- Scores: India (130/4), Sri Lanka (134/4)
- Key Players: Kumar Sangakkara, Thisara Perera
Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets.
Kumar Sangakkara’s unbeaten 52 off 35 balls guided the chase.
Thisara Perera’s blistering 23-ball 23 provided the finishing touch.
Turning Point: The turning point of the match was Sangakkara’s unbeaten innings of 52 runs off 35 balls. His composed knock guided Sri Lanka’s successful chase of India’s total, steering them to victory in the final.
6. 2016 (India): West Indies
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India
- Runner up: England
- Scores: England (155/9), West Indies (161/6)
- Key Players: Carlos Brathwaite, Marlon Samuels
West Indies won by 4 wickets.
Carlos Brathwaite’s breathtaking 4 consecutive sixes in the final over sealed the victory.
Marlon Samuels’ composed 85 off 66 balls steadied the chase.
Turning Point: The turning point occurred in the final over of the match when Brathwaite smashed four consecutive sixes off Stokes’ bowling, turning the game on its head and sealing a stunning victory for the West Indies in the final moments of the match.
7. 2021 (UAE): Australia
- Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, UAE
- Runner up: New Zealand
- Scores: New Zealand (172/4), Australia (173/2)
- Key Players: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood
David Warner’s explosive innings set the tone for Australia’s successful chase as he Scored 53 runs off 38 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes.
Mitchell Marsh anchored the innings with a brilliant knock, ensuring Australia’s victory. He remained not out at 77 runs off 50 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes.
Josh Hazlewood’s disciplined bowling restricted New Zealand’s batting lineup, taking 3 crucial wickets for 16 runs in 4 overs.
Turning Point: The turning point of the match occurred after the early dismissal of Aaron Finch when Warner and Marsh built a crucial partnership for the second wicket. Their partnership of 93 runs stabilized Australia’s innings after the initial setback and laid the foundation for the successful chase.
8. 2022 (Australia): England
- Venue: Australia
- Runner up: Pakistan
- Scores: Pakistan (137/8), England (138/5)
- Key Players: Ben Stokes, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid
England successfully chased down the target with 6 wickets in hand and 6 🀅balls to spare.
Ben Stokes played a vital innings, anchoring the🧸 chase with a composed fifty. He Scored 52 runs off 49 balls with 5 fours and 1 six. Also took 1 wicket for 32 runs in 4 overs.
Sam Curran’s excellent bowling spell, taking 3 wickets for 12 runs in 4 overs, along with contributions from Adil Rashid who took two crucial wickets in his four over spell and restricted Pakistan’s batting lineup, setting up England’s victory.
Turning Point: The turning point in the match occurred when England were struggling at 84/4 in their chase of 138 runs, facing a daunting task against Pakistan’s bowling attack. It was at this precarious juncture that Stokes stepped up with a composed innings, anchoring the chase with a vital half-century.
