Sports
Shahid Afridi’s ‘all-round excellence’ against South Africa makes it on ICC’s list of ‘iconic’ T20 World Cup performances
Cricket’s governing body on Friday released a list of “iconic performances” at the T20 World Cup, with Shahid Afridi’s 2009 performance in the semi-final against South Africa included among the feats.
“Between India winning both the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007 and the most recent offering two years ago, there have been many iconic performances that have left their mark on T20’s biggest stage,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in its press release.
On Afridi, the ICC noted that after being named the player of the tournament in 2007, he had come back “with the bit firmly between his teeth”.
“In the semi-finals against South Africa, Afridi came to the fore in devastating fashion, starring with a crucial all-round performance that took Pakistan into a second successive final,” the ICC said.
It added that Afridi scored 51 off 34 with the bat, before claiming the key wickets of Herschelle Gibbs and AB de Villiers, finishing with 2-16.
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan had won the tournament that year.
Meanwhile, it said that India’s Yuvraj Singh “etched his name into cricketing history” by smashing six sixes off just one Stuart Broad over at the tournament’s first edition in South Africa.
According to the ICC, the left-handed all-rounder became just the fourth player — after Garry Sobers, Ravi Shastri and Herschelle Gibbs — to complete the feat, and the first to do so in T20 cricket.
“Yuvraj’s exploits not only ensured an imposing India total but also took the then 25-year-old to a 12-ball half-century and a record fastest 50 in T20Is, one which would hold firm until 2023,” it said.
It said that in the 2010 tournament, played in West Indies, Australia’s Michael Hussey “played one of the greatest short-form innings of all time by blasting an unbeaten 60 from just 24 balls”.
Coming in at seven in the semi-final, and with Australia requiring 87 from 45 balls to beat Pakistan, “Hussey reinvigorated his side’s chase with a startling display of hitting,” the ICC said.
When his team needed 18 runs in the final over, Hussey smashed Saeed Ajmal for three sixes and a four to win the game, it added.
West Indian spinner Sunil Narine also made the list, with the ICC highlighting his spell which led West Indies to their first ICC T20 World Cup crown in 2012.
“The mystery spinner walked away with figures of 3-9 as Sri Lanka were left stunned in their pursuit of 138 for victory.”
Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath registered his name in the list for his “superb five wickets for just three runs helped Sri Lanka to the all-important victory” in 2014.
The ICC said that having been bowled out for 119 by New Zealand in the first innings, Herath “proceeded to rip through the Black Caps’ batting order, taking crucial wickets throughout the innings while also aiding two run-outs”.
New Zealand were dismissed for just 60 runs, as Sri Lanka lifted their maiden title.
Further, West Indian Carlos Brathwaite’s four consecutive sixes in the 2016 final also made the list, with the ICC calling it the “stuff of legend”.
“Needing 19 runs from the last over, West Indies were seemingly heading towards defeat at the hands of England,” the ICC said.
However, Brathwaite stepped up to deposit Ben Stokes’ first four balls into the stands and ensure the trophy was heading back to the Caribbean, the ICC said.
Australian Mitchell Marsh’s 2021 performance in the final also made the list, with the player scoring an unbeaten 77 as his team chased down their 173-run target set by New Zealand.
ICC said that alongside David Warner, Marsh helped steady the ship after Aaron Finch’s early dismissal before “demonstrating his power-hitting abilities”.
Marsh duly earned the Player of the Match award as Australia won by eight wickets, it said.
Calling 2022 the “redemption” of England’s Ben Stokes, the ICC said England’s second World Cup win not only saw them become the first country to hold both white-ball world champion titles at the same time, but also allowed Stokes to “banish the ghosts of 2016”.
Lastly, the ICC also included India’s Virat Kohli, saying: “Like Stokes in 2022, another behemoth of the modern game combined composure with guile to steal the show in the 2024 final, as Virat Kohli anchored India’s innings with a sumptuous 76.”
It said that as his team fell to 34-3, Kohli went on to earn player of the match award by “steering India towards a highly-competitive 176-7”.
South Africa fell seven runs short while chasing.
The Pakistan cricket team on Monday arrived in Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7.
In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that a 15-player squad had arrived in the country.
“The 15-player national squad includes Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq,” the PCB said in an earlier post, the informed of the squad’s department for the global event’s venue.
In the latest update about the aquad’s arrival in Colombo, the board said the team would rest on Monday and Tuesday.
“The team will play a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb 4,” PCB added.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on Feb 7.
On Sunday, the government gave the go-ahead for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, but barred it from playing against arch-rival India on February 15.
The announcement came amid uncertainty regarding a possible boycott of the tournament over Bangladesh’s withdrawal following tensions with India.
A government source told Dawn that Pakistan had refused to play against India to express solidarity with Bangladesh. According to the government source, the primary reason for boycotting the match with India was the ICC’s “biased decision” towards Bangladesh.
BULAWAYO: India completed the semi-final line-up for the ICC Under-19 World Cup with a comprehensive 58-run win over Pakistan in Bulawayo on Sunday.
The victory in the final Super Six match at the Queens Sports Club means the Indian colts head into the knockouts unbeaten and as Group 2 toppers.
After a late surge helped them to 252 in 49.5 overs, India put in a clinical performance in the field to dismiss Pakistan for 194 in 46.2 overs.
India joined Australia, England and Afghanistan into the final four. The Ayush Mhatre-led side face Afghanistan in the semi-finals in Harare on Wednesday. The first semi-final, between Australia and England, takes place in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
Put into bat, India powered past 250 thanks to the acceleration provided by the lower order in the last 10 overs.
With a spot in the semi-final on line, India were expecting another blockbuster innings from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Though the left-hander gave the team a brisk start, striking five fours and a six as he motored to 30, he was living dangerously. After two close calls, Sooryavanshi fell to a shorter delivery from Mohammad Sayyam, with a bottom-edge carrying to wicket-keeper Hamza Zahoor.
Starting with Sooryavanshi, India lost three and in the space of four balls. While Sayyam also dismissed India captain Ayush Mhatre, Abdul Subhan bowled over opener Aaron George to reduce India to 47-3.
In their previous match in Bulawayo, India had scored a mammoth 352-8 against Zimbabwe. But on Sunday, the ball wasn’t coming on to the bat as well and stayed low. Vedant Trivedi led India’s fightback with 68. His 62-run fourth-wicket partnership with Vihaan Malhotra (21) helped steer India clear of immediate trouble. Trivedi also put on handy stands with Abhigyan Kundu and RS Ambrish.
After the middle order had kept the scoreboard ticking, the lower order provided the late flourish. Kanishk Chouhan (35 off 29) and Khilan Patel (21 off 15) helped India notch 71 runs in the last 10 overs, lifting the score to 252.
For Pakistan, Subhan dismissed Chouhan and Patel to finish with 3-33 in 9.5 overs.
To qualify for the semi-final at India’s expense, Pakistan needed to chase down the target within 33.4 overs; otherwise, if the innings ended with a six to reach 258, they had until 34.3 overs to get there.
Pakistan showed some early intent, scoring 13 runs off the second over. It seemed their chances hinged on Sameer Minhas, but India were able to send the star opener back fairly quickly. He was trapped leg before wicket by Henil Patel.
Following the early setback, Pakistan never showed any urgency to make a run for the semi-final spot. Hamza Zahoor (42), Usman Khan (66) and captain Farhan Yousuf (38) hung in there gamely even as runs slowed down to a trickle.
Chouhan conceded 30 runs off his 10 overs and claimed the wicket of Zahoor and was named the player-of-the-match. Skipper Mhatre claimed three wickets for 21 in his overs while Khilan Patel got 3-35.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026
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