In every sense, T20 is probably one of the most significant formats that would have been made in world cricket. With every cricketing country—big and small—getting into this shortest format, the importance of a T20 World Cup has also increased. The T20 World Cup has seen many great performances, but sometimes they go in vain, i.e., they can’t take the team over the line. So, in this article, there is an attempt to take a look at some of the best knocks in a losing cause in T20 World Cups:
1. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is one of the best players from India, with more than handy batting at the top of the the order. In a semi-final game against West Indies in the 2016 T20 World Cup, batting first, India piled up 192 runs on a road of a pitch, with Virat Kohli smacking a half-century. Batting first, with the score reading 128-2, Kohli stitched together a 64-run stand with MS Dhoni. In his 47-ball knock, he smashed 11 boundaries and a gigantic six, scoring 89 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
2. Mahela Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene was one of the best players from Sri Lanka, with more than handy batting at the top of the order. In a game against England in the 2014 T20 World Cup, batting first, Sri Lanka piled up 189 runs on a road of a pitch, with Mahela Jayawardene smacking a half-century. Batting first, with the score reading 4-1, Jayawardene stitched together a 145-run stand with Tillakaratne Dilshan. In his 51-ball knock, he smashed 11 boundaries and three gigantic sixes, scoring 89 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
3. Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson is one of the best players from New Zealand, with more than handy batting at the top of the order. In the final against Australia in the 2021 T20 World Cup, batting first, New Zealand piled up 172 runs on a road of a pitch, with Kane Williamson smacking a half-century. Batting first, with the score reading 76-2, Williamson stitched together a 68-run stand with Glenn Phillips. In his 48-ball knock, he smashed 10 boundaries and three gigantic sixes, scoring 85 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
4. Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan is one of the best players from Bangladesh, with more than handy off-spin bowling. In a game against Pakistan in the 2012 T20 World Cup, batting first, Bangladesh piled up 175 runs on a road of a pitch, with Shakib Al Hasan smacking a half-century. Batting first, with the score reading 61-2, Shakib stitched together a 68-run stand with Mushfiqur Rahim. In his 54-ball knock, he smashed 11 boundaries and two gigantic sixes, scoring 84 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
5. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma is one of the best players from India, with more than handy batting at the top of the order. In a game against India in the 2010 T20 World Cup, batting first, Australia piled up 184 runs on a road of a pitch, with David Warner smacking a half-century. Chasing 185 runs, with the score reading 50-7, Rohit stitched together a 47-run stand with Harbhajan Singh. In his 46-ball knock, he smashed four boundaries and six gigantic sixes, scoring 79 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
6. Lendl Simmons
Lendl Simmons was one of the best players from West Indies, with more than handy batting at the top of the order. In a game against West Indies in the 2009 T20 World Cup, batting first, South Africa piled up 183 runs on a road of a pitch, with Herschelle Gibbs smacking a half-century. Chasing 184 runs, with the score reading 13-2, Simmons stitched together a 57-run stand with Dwayne Bravo. In his 50-ball knock, he smashed 12 boundaries and a gigantic six, scoring 77 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
7. Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell is one of the best players from Australia, with more than handy off-spin bowling. In a game against Australia in the 2014 T20 World Cup, batting first, Pakistan piled up 191 runs on a road of a pitch, with Umar Akmal smacking a half-century. Chasing 192 runs, with the score reading 8-2, Maxwell stitched together a 118-run stand with Aaron Finch. In his 33-ball knock, he smashed seven boundaries and six gigantic sixes, scoring 74 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
8. Angelo Mathews
Angelo Mathews is one of the best players from Sri Lanka, with more than handy medium-pace bowling. In a game against Sri Lanka in the 2016 T20 World Cup, batting first, England piled up 171 runs on a road of a pitch, with Jos Buttler smacking a half-century. Chasing 172 runs, with the score reading 15-4, Mathews stitched together an 80-run stand with Chamara Kapugedera. In his 54-ball knock, he smashed three boundaries and five gigantic sixes, scoring 73 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
9. Eoin Morgan
Eoin Morgan was one of the best players from England, with more than handy batting at the top of the order. In a game against England in the 2012 T20 World Cup, batting first, West Indies piled up 179 runs on a road of a pitch, with Johnson Charles smacking a half-century. Chasing 180 runs, with the score reading 55-3, Morgan stitched together a 107-run stand with Alex Hales. In his 36-ball knock, he smashed four boundaries and five gigantic sixes, scoring 71 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
10. Luke Wright
Luke Wright was one of the best players from England, with more than handy batting at the top of the order. In a game against Netherlands in the 2009 T20 World Cup, batting first, England piled up 162 runs on a road of a pitch, with Luke Wright smacking a half-century. Batting first, Wright stitched together a 102-run stand with Ravi Bopara. In his 49-ball knock, he smashed eight boundaries, scoring 71 runs. Notably, this came in a losing cause.
