AHMEDABAD: India thrashed New Zealand in the final of the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad to retain their crown in style.
AFP Sport picks some memorable storylines from the tournament.
Double super-over drama
South Africa and Afghanistan played out a tie, followed by a first-ever double super over in a T20 World Cup to decide the winner of their gripping group contest.
The drama unfolded after Afghanistan posted 187 all out in response to South Africa’s 187-6 in Ahmedabad.
The teams were tied again after a breathless first super over before South Africa won off the final ball of a heart-thumping second sudden-death showdown.
Afghanistan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz needed four sixes off four balls in the second super over to pull off a win but only managed three before being caught out.
Shock Australia exit
Former champions Australia suffered a shock loss to the tournament’s surprise packages Zimbabwe, in a group game after they were dismissed for 146 while chasing 170 for victory.
Without injured fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Australia suffered another defeat to Sri Lanka to leave their campaign hanging by a thread.
Zimbabwe’s rained-off match with Ireland showed Australia the door as the 2021 winners failed to make the second phase for only the second time in the event’s history.
Australia signed off with a thrashing of Oman but skipper Mitchell Marsh said: “It’s a bitterly disappointed changing room.”
Off-pitch tensions
There was an acrimonious and chaotic build-up to the tournament.
Pakistan vowed to boycott their group game against arch-rivals India in support of Bangladesh, who refused to play in India and did not take part in the competition as a result.
They were replaced at the 11th hour by Scotland.
After frantic negotiations with the International Cricket Council, the Pakistan government took the decision back, and the blockbuster match went ahead in Colombo.
India beat Pakistan, but it was tense on the field, and there were no handshakes between the two captains and teams.
Samson’s redemption
India batsman Sanju Samson redeemed himself in a winner-takes-all contest against the West Indies as his unbeaten 97 helped the co-hosts chase down 196 and reach the semi-finals.
Samson was not in the original plans as opener but a loss of form for Abhishek Sharma and the need to break a left-handed combination at the top got the wicketkeeper-batter back for the Super Eights.
After a cameo against Zimbabwe, Samson made the stage his own at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens as India depended on his 50-ball knock laced with 12 fours and four sixes.
Samson, a devout Catholic, said a silent prayer after he hit the winning boundary and struck another match-winning knock of 89 in the semi-final against England, then starred once more in the final.
Allen’s record 100
New Zealand opener Finn Allen struck the tournament’s fastest-ever century, off 33 balls, to own the stage in the first semi-final against South Africa.
South Africa, unbeaten until the knockout match, wilted in the face of Allen’s onslaught as he smacked 10 fours and eight sixes.
New Zealand romped to the victory target of 170 with 7.1 overs to spare.
It was a brutal show of power-hitting by Allen, who surpassed the previous fastest century record, in 47 balls, by West Indies’ Chris Gayle in 2016.
Emotional Italy make history
Debutants Italy, the lowest-ranked side in the 20-team tournament, hammered Nepal by 10 wickets for a historic first win.
It left some of the Italy players in tears of joy and sparked dreams about a bright future for cricket in the football-mad country.
“I don’t think you’ll see many players cry on the field after a win in the group stages,” stand-in captain Harry Manenti said.
“I think you’ve got to appreciate what Italy cricket is bringing to the game, understand that the passion is slightly different with the Italians.”
