Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s knock of 92 against Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup last year and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliant four-over spell during the title clash of the same tournament against South Africa were crowned as the top performances in T20I cricket of 2024 by Wisden. Wisden on Wednesday revealed the top 10 T20I batting and bowling performances of 2024, which included several Indian stars. Among the batters, holding the top spot was skipper Rohit’s 41-ball 92 against Australia during the Super Eight stage of ICC T20 WC last year during the match held at Gros Islet.
The knock consisting of seven fours and eight sixes, was a revenge for India’s past heartbreaks to Australia.
After losing the coveted ICC World Test Championship final and ICC Cricket World Cup to Pat Cummins-led Australia, skipper Rohit was out on the field with a vengeance. Determined to knock Australia out of the competition, the Hitman smirked and smiled widely after each boundary. Be it his 29-run mauling to pacer Mitchell Starc, which included four sixes in an over or a massive slog sweep against Cummins, each smashing hit healed millions of Indians. This innings was a sign that the Men in Blue had well and truly arrived in the T20I format after years of grappling selection, gameplay-based issues and would not leave the Caribbean without the trophy. India scored 205/5 in their 20 overs and restricted Australia to 181/7 in their 20 overs, with Travis Head resisting the Indian challenge with a powerful 76 in 43 balls, only to be caught by Rohit. After a loss to Afghanistan in their next Super Eight clash in a shocker, Australia was out of the tournament.
At number four among the batting performances was Axar Patel’s counter-attacking knock of 47 in 31 balls against South Africa in the T20 WC final at Bridgetown. Promoted to number five after India had lost three wickets for 34 runs, the left-hander had a 72-run partnership with star India batter Virat Kohli and struck a four and four sixes in his knock with a strike rate of 151.61. This knock allowed Virat to regain his magical touch and form, score a solid 76 in 59 balls, which took India to a total of 176/7, which they could defend thanks to a brilliant pace choke by Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh.
Tilak Varma’s explosive 120* in just 47 against South Africa at Johannesburg during the fourth T20I at Johannesburg occupies the eighth spot. After Abhishek Sharma’s departure for a quickfire 36 in 18 balls, Tilak came in at number three and unleashed an unbelievable carnage on Proteas alongside Sanju Samson. Both went on a six-hitting spree, scoring centuries in their partnership of unbeaten 210 runs in 85 balls. Tilak made 120* in just 47 balls, with nine fours and 10 sixes in his knock. India reached a magnificent total of 283/1. Proteas could manage only 148 runs while chasing the total.
Coming to the bowling performances, Bumrah’s spell of 2/18 in four overs during the T20 WC finals is at the top. The pace spearhead took the prized scalp of hard-hitting Reeza Hendricks to give India a dream start. But as the match ended, India went from dominating SA with score of 14/2 during defence of 177 runs to being left to defend 30 runs in 30 balls, with Heinrich Klaasen and Quinton de Kock assaulting the spinners.
Then came a brilliant pace choke from Bumrah, Pandya and Arshdeep. In his final two overs, Bumrah gave away just six runs and got a wicket of hard-hitting Marco Jansen, in a masterpiece of death bowling. Proteas were left to chase 20 runs in the final two overs and lost the match by seven runs.
At number six is also another iconic Bumrah spell, which increased India’s hopes for a T20 World Cup title and end of a ICC trophy drought. The spell of 3/14 against Pakistan in the group stage revived hopes within a country let down during the 50-over World Cup final not so long ago.
Pakistan needed to chase 120 runs successfully and was cruising with 40 runs needed in the last six overs with seven wickets left. However, Bumrah, who had already removed Babar Azam earlier in his spell, now clean bowled a well-settled Rizwan. This helped India get back in the game and they unleashed a brilliant choke on Pakistan, with Bumrah and Hardik Pandya (2/24) leading the team from the front. Pakistan could make just 113/7 in their 20 overs and lost by six runs in a thrilling match. Bumrah was given the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
At number nine, sits a five-wicket haul (5/17 in four overs) by spinner Varun Chakravarthy against South Africa last November. After India was restricted to 124/6 in their 20 overs, not many were giving India a chance. However, Chakravarthy was not ready to go down without a fight, taking a brilliant five-wicket haul to sink Proteas to 86/7. He got wickets from Reeza, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Marco Jansen. However, Varun ran out of overs and Proteas won thanks to a brilliant partnership between Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee.
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