Fascinating, thrilling, “who-would-have-guessed!” What else were your favourite adjectives to describe the 2021 T20 World Cup?
Australia proved to be too good for their Trans-Tasman neighbours in the night of the final and clinched their first ever t20 world cup. We congratulate the Aussies for such an astounding effort. Despite being underestimated by a majority of the experts, they outclassed a strong New Zealand side in all departments when it mattered the most and lifted the trophy for the first time in their second attempt.
Apart from Australia winning the trophy for the first time, there were some individual feats achieved in this world cup those need special mentions. Here we bring you five such unique personal achievements of this world cup.
Babar Azam: first-ever captain to become highest run-getter in any T20 world cup edition
Pakistan were undefeated in the super twelve stage and Babar Azam played a very crucial hand in it. The Pakistani captain’s most notable contribution with the bat was an attractive unbeaten knock of 68 runs against the arch-rivals India, which paved the way for a memorable ten-wicket victory for Pakistan.
He also played crucial innings against Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland and amassed a total of 303 runs including four fifties at a splendid average of more than sixty and a strike rate of 126.25 in the world cup. Thus, he was the leading run-getter in the tournament and became the first ever captain to do so in a T20 World cup.
Chris Gayle: the lowest-ever count of SIXES in a T20 WC for the Universe Boss
Fondly called as ‘the universe boss’, Chris Gayle is regarded as the finest ever batsman to play T20s as the Jamaican legend has more than fourteen thousand runs including twenty-two centuries to his name in the shortest format of the game.
This was Gayle’s seventh T20 world cup and everyone had expected to see some monstrous hitting from him. But unfortunately, Gayle had his quietest world cup this time as he managed to score just 45 runs in five innings at a strike rate of mere 91.84. He could hit only three sixes in the entire tournament and thus registered the lowest number of sixes for himself in his T20 world cup career.
Jos Buttler: highest run-scorer for ENG in a single-edition of any T20 World Cup
Although England entered into the world cup as strong favorites, their batting revolved around Jos Buttler on most of the occasions throughout the tournament which is pretty evident from the fact that Buttler scored almost thirty-three percent of England’s total runs in this world cup.
His impressive hundred against Sri Lanka was a testament of his incredible calibre to deal with pressure, whereas his fireworks against Australia proved his brutality for the umpteenth time on a cricket pitch.
Overall, Buttler smashed 269 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 151.12 and thus surpassed the tally of Joe Root’s 249 runs in the 2016 world cup to become the highest scorer for England in a T20 World cup.
Shakib-Al Hasan: highest wicket-taker in T20 world cup history
This wasn’t a world cup to remember for the Bangladesh fans by any means, but there was still something for them to rejoice.
The legendary Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan became the leading wicket-taker in the history of the tournament when he cleaned up Pathum Nissanka to pick his 40th wicket in his world cup career. He surpassed Shahid Afridi’s tally of 39 wickets to reach the landmark. The legend is currently sitting at the top in the list of highest wicket-takers in t20 world cup with 41 wickets at a magnificent economy of just 6.43. Yet, what a feat to be made in the 2021 T20 world cup- right?
Adam Zampa: first-ever leggie to take a fifer in any T20 World Cup edition
Clearly, among the foxy spinners that stood out in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Adam Zampa was the second highest wicket taker in the tournament as he picked thirteen wickets at an amazing economy of just 5.81. He was the wrecker-in-chief for Australia in the middle overs and played a significant role in their victorious campaign.
Zampa registered his best ever t20I bowling figure by picking five wickets for just nineteen runs against Bangladesh. He became the first ever leg spinner to take a fifer in a t20 world cup in this process. He also became the first Australian spinner to achieve this feat.
These unique feats will surely be among the major talking points whenever people will discuss about this world cup.
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