Knockout punches
Our pick of the best World T20 batting performances is heavy on semi-finals and finals performances
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2016
Marlon Samuels, 78 off 56 balls, West Indies v Sri Lanka, final, Colombo, 2012
West Indies, batting first, were crawling along at 32 for 2 after ten overs. Enter Samuels, who played the innings of his life, biffing Sri Lanka's best bowler, Lasith Malinga, for three sixes in the 13th over and for a further 18 runs when Malinga returned for a new spell. West Indies posted a seemingly modest 137, thanks to Samuels' onslaught, but it was a winning total.
West Indies, batting first, were crawling along at 32 for 2 after ten overs. Enter Samuels, who played the innings of his life, biffing Sri Lanka's best bowler, Lasith Malinga, for three sixes in the 13th over and for a further 18 runs when Malinga returned for a new spell. West Indies posted a seemingly modest 137, thanks to Samuels' onslaught, but it was a winning total.
Alex Hales, 116 not off 64 balls, England v Sri Lanka, Chittagong, 2014
The target was a steep 190 and England were reeling at 0 for 2 at the end of the first over. A full-strength Sri Lanka attack wasn't good enough to silence Hales, who bludgeoned 11 fours and six sixes. Three of those sixes came off one over from Ajantha Mendis that cost 25, decisively swinging the match away from Sri Lanka. It was England's first T20 hundred and guided them home by six wickets.
The target was a steep 190 and England were reeling at 0 for 2 at the end of the first over. A full-strength Sri Lanka attack wasn't good enough to silence Hales, who bludgeoned 11 fours and six sixes. Three of those sixes came off one over from Ajantha Mendis that cost 25, decisively swinging the match away from Sri Lanka. It was England's first T20 hundred and guided them home by six wickets.
Michael Hussey, 60 not out off 24 balls, Australia v Pakistan, semi-final, Gros Islet, 2010
Chasing 192 for a place in the final, Australia looked out of it when they needed 34 off the last two overs. Their hopes rested on a set Hussey, batting on 24 off 14 at that point. He proceeded to take charge against Mohammad Amir, haring 16 off the penultimate over, and then launching a brutal onslaught on Saeed Ajmal in the 20th, smacking three sixes to clinch the unlikeliest of victories.
Chasing 192 for a place in the final, Australia looked out of it when they needed 34 off the last two overs. Their hopes rested on a set Hussey, batting on 24 off 14 at that point. He proceeded to take charge against Mohammad Amir, haring 16 off the penultimate over, and then launching a brutal onslaught on Saeed Ajmal in the 20th, smacking three sixes to clinch the unlikeliest of victories.
Yuvraj Singh, 70 off 30 balls, India v Australia, semi-final, Durban, 2007
Yuvraj was in red-hot form coming into the semi-final, having hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in the previous game. He tonked another five against Australia, including one off Brett Lee over square leg that proved to be the biggest hit of the tournament. India surged in the middle overs thanks largely to Yuvraj's 21-ball fifty. It eventually took them to 188, and a 15-run win.
Yuvraj was in red-hot form coming into the semi-final, having hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in the previous game. He tonked another five against Australia, including one off Brett Lee over square leg that proved to be the biggest hit of the tournament. India surged in the middle overs thanks largely to Yuvraj's 21-ball fifty. It eventually took them to 188, and a 15-run win.
Shahid Afridi, 51 off 34 balls, Pakistan v South Africa, semi-final, Trent Bridge, 2009
A refreshingly mature innings from Afridi: aggressive yet methodical, featuring eight fours and no sixes. South Africa pulled things back after the Powerplay, but Afridi didn't let the pressure build on Pakistan, finding the gaps and pushing twos. He then tore into Johan Botha, hitting four fours in an over. He put Pakistan on course for a competitive 149 and later tormented South Africa with the ball, capping a fine day for him.
A refreshingly mature innings from Afridi: aggressive yet methodical, featuring eight fours and no sixes. South Africa pulled things back after the Powerplay, but Afridi didn't let the pressure build on Pakistan, finding the gaps and pushing twos. He then tore into Johan Botha, hitting four fours in an over. He put Pakistan on course for a competitive 149 and later tormented South Africa with the ball, capping a fine day for him.
Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo