T20 World Cup 2021: A Summary of the Tournament
The T20 World Cup 2021 was the seventh edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the premier international tournament for the shortest format of cricket. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in Australia in 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
India was then named as the host for the 2021 edition, but the tournament was later shifted to the United Arab Emirates and Oman due to the health situation in India.
The tournament featured 16 teams, divided into four groups of four in the first round, followed by two groups of six in the Super 12 stage, and then the knockout stage of semi-finals and final. The tournament ran from 17 October to 14 November 2021, with a total of 45 matches played across four venues: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Muscat.
T20 World Cup 2021 Schedule
The T20 World Cup 2021 schedule consisted of four stages: the first round, the Super 12, the semi-finals and the final. The first round involved eight teams: Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland, Oman and Papua New Guinea.
These teams were split into two groups of four each, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super 12 stage. The first round matches were played from 17 to 22 October 2021.
The Super 12 stage involved 12 teams: the eight teams that qualified from the first round, plus the top eight ranked teams as of 31 December 2018: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Afghanistan and West Indies.
These teams were divided into two groups of six each, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals. The Super 12 matches were played from 23 October to 8 November 2021.
The semi-finals were played on 10 and 11 November 2021, with the winners of Group A facing the runners-up of Group B, and vice versa. The final was played on 14 November 2021 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
T20 World Cup 2021 Live
The T20 World Cup 2021 live coverage was available on various platforms across different regions.
In India, Star Sports was the official broadcaster of the tournament, with live streaming available on Disney+ Hotstar.
In Australia, Fox Sports and Kayo Sports showed the matches live, while in New Zealand, Sky Sport NZ was the official partner.
In England and Ireland, Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event provided live coverage.
While in Pakistan, PTV Sports and Ten Sports were the official broadcasters.
In South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, SuperSport showed the matches live, while in Canada and USA, Willow TV was the official partner.
In Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Channel Eye and Gazi TV respectively were the official broadcasters.
In Afghanistan, RTA Sport showed the matches live. In other regions, ICC’s official website and app provided live streaming options.
India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2021
One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament was India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2021, which took place on 24 October 2021 at Dubai. It was the first time that these two arch-rivals met in a T20 World Cup since 2016. The match attracted a huge viewership across the world, with an estimated audience of over one billion people.
The match turned out to be a one-sided affair, as Pakistan registered a historic win over India by ten wickets. Pakistan’s bowlers restricted India to a below-par score of 151 for seven in their 20 overs, with only Virat Kohli (57) and Rishabh Pant (39) making significant contributions.
Shaheen Afridi (3 for 31) and Hasan Ali (2 for 19) were the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan. In reply, Pakistan’s openers Babar Azam (68 not out) and Mohammad Rizwan (79 not out) chased down the target with ease in just 17.5 overs, without losing any wicket. It was Pakistan’s first ever win over India in a T20 World Cup match.
ICC T20 World Cup 2021
The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 was organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which is the global governing body for cricket. The ICC is responsible for setting the rules and regulations for international cricket tournaments, as well as ensuring fair play and integrity in the game. The ICC also oversees various development programs and initiatives to promote cricket around the world.
The ICC T20 World Cup is one of the three major events that are part of the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), which is a schedule of international cricket fixtures for a four-year cycle.
The other two events are the ICC Cricket World Cup, which is a 50-over tournament, and the ICC World Test Championship, which is a league of Test matches.
The ICC T20 World Cup is held every two years, with the first edition taking place in 2007 in South Africa. The tournament aims to showcase the best of T20 cricket, which is a fast-paced and exciting format that appeals to a wide range of fans.
Who Won T20 World Cup 2021
The question of who won T20 World Cup 2021 was answered on 14 November 2021, when Australia and New Zealand faced each other in the final at Dubai. It was the first time that these two Trans-Tasman rivals met in a T20 World Cup final, and the second time that they met in a global limited-overs final, after the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
The match was a one-sided affair, as Australia dominated New Zealand to win their first T20 World Cup by eight wickets. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first, but could only manage a modest score of 172 for four in their 20 overs, despite a brilliant knock of 85 from captain Kane Williamson.
Australia’s bowlers did a fine job of containing New Zealand’s batsmen, with Josh Hazlewood (3 for 16) being the most impressive.
In reply, Australia’s openers David Warner (53) and Aaron Finch (28) gave them a flying start, before Mitchell Marsh (77 not out) and Glenn Maxwell (28 not out) finished the chase with seven balls to spare.
Marsh was named the Player of the Match for his match-winning innings, while Warner was named the Player of the Tournament for scoring 289 runs at an average of 48.16 and a strike rate of 145.72.
Australia’s victory ended their long wait for a T20 World Cup title, after having reached the final once before in 2010, where they lost to England.
It also completed their collection of all three ICC trophies, having won the Cricket World Cup five times and the Champions Trophy twice. For New Zealand, it was another heartbreak in a global final, after having lost the 2015 Cricket World Cup final to Australia and the 2019 Cricket World Cup final to England.
Conclusion
The T20 World Cup 2021 was a thrilling tournament that showcased the best of T20 cricket, with some close contests, high-scoring matches, stunning performances and memorable moments.
The tournament also witnessed some surprises, such as Namibia reaching the Super 12 stage for the first time, Afghanistan beating Pakistan for the first time in T20Is, and Scotland defeating Bangladesh for the first time in any format.
The tournament also saw some records being broken, such as Babar Azam becoming the highest run-scorer in a single edition of the T20 World Cup with 303 runs, Wanindu Hasaranga becoming the highest wicket-taker in a single edition of the T20 World Cup with 16 wickets, and Matthew Wade hitting three consecutive sixes in the last over of a semi-final to seal Australia’s win over Pakistan.
The T20 World Cup 2021 also marked the end of an era for some legends of the game, such as Virat Kohli stepping down as India’s T20I captain, MS Dhoni retiring as India’s mentor, Chris Gayle playing his last T20I for West Indies, and Lasith Malinga playing his last international match for Sri Lanka.
These players have contributed immensely to the growth and popularity of T20 cricket over the years, and will be missed by fans and players alike.
The T20 World Cup 2021 also set the stage for the next edition of the tournament, which will be held in Australia in 2022.
The teams will be eager to improve their performances and challenge Australia’s supremacy in T20 cricket. The fans will be looking forward to another exciting and entertaining tournament that will celebrate the spirit and passion of cricket.
