India’s Performance at the T20 World Cup: Six months after a bittersweet ODI World Cup campaign, Indian cricket fans are eagerly turning their attention to the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The hope is that Rohit Sharma and his team can finally end the 11-year ICC trophy drought. From their triumphant debut in 2007 to their ups and downs in subsequent editions, let’s take a look at India’s journey in the T20 World Cup over 17 years.
2007 World Cup
India made history by becoming the first-ever winner of the T20 World Cup in 2007. The tournament was full of memorable moments like the iconic India-Pakistan bowl-off and Gautam Gambhir’s heroics in the final. Gambhir’s 75 in the final helped a struggling side put up a defendable total.
Highlights:
- Champion Debut: India made history by winning the first-ever T20 World Cup.
- Iconic Moments: The tournament featured memorable moments like the India-Pakistan bowl-off and Gautam Gambhir’s heroics in the final.
- Final Match: Gambhir’s 75 and Rohit Sharma’s quickfire 30 helped India set a defendable total of 157 against Pakistan. A dramatic final over by Joginder Sharma, culminating in Misbah-ul-Haq’s ill-fated scoop shot, secured victory for India.
Struggles to Reach Knockouts
2009
- High Expectations: As defending champions, India entered with high hopes.
- Disappointment: Despite topping their initial group, India failed to win any games in the Super Eight stage against England, South Africa, and the West Indies.
2010
- Continued Struggles: India once again failed to progress past the Super Eight stage, losing all their matches against the West Indies, Australia, and Sri Lanka.
2012
- Mixed Results: Playing in Sri Lanka, India beat South Africa and Pakistan but a heavy loss to Australia in the Super Eight meant they missed out on the semifinals.
2021
- Worst Performance: India’s campaign in 2021 was particularly disappointing. Losses to Pakistan and New Zealand in the group stages led to an early exit.
Knockout Heartbreaks
2014
- Kohli’s Emergence: Virat Kohli shone, scoring 319 runs in the tournament including 77 in the final. Despite his efforts, India managed only 130 in the final, which Sri Lanka chased down comfortably.
2016
- Bittersweet Campaign: India, hosting the tournament, lost their opening match to New Zealand but bounced back to reach the semifinals. They lost to eventual champions West Indies in a high-scoring match at Wankhede Stadium.
2022
- Semi-Final Loss: In the semifinal against England, Kohli and Hardik Pandya helped India to a total of 168. However, England’s Jos Buttler and Alex Hales chased down the target without losing a wicket, leading to a 10-wicket defeat for India.
Virat Kohli’s Dominance
- Record-Holder: Kohli has been a standout performer in the T20 World Cup, scoring 1141 runs in 25 innings at an average of 81.5 and a strike rate of 131.3. He holds the record for most half-centuries (14) and is the only player to have won the Player of the Tournament award twice.
Spinners Lead the Way
- Ravichandran Ashwin: India’s most successful bowler in T20 World Cup history with 32 wickets.
- Ravindra Jadeja: Second highest with 21 wickets.
- Irfan Pathan: India’s top wicket-taking pacer with 16 wickets.
Rohit Sharma’s Longevity
- Ever-Present: Rohit Sharma is one of only two players (alongside Shakib Al Hasan) to have played in every edition of the T20 World Cup. He has scored 963 runs in 39 matches at an average of 34.39 and a strike rate of 127.88.
Looking Ahead to 2024
Read more about the Performance expection from Indian Cricket team in this T20 World Cup 2024.
As the T20 World Cup 2024 approaches, Indian fans hope that their team, led by Rohit Sharma, can finally break their ICC trophy drought. With a rich history of memorable performances and the potential of their current squad, India aims to recapture the glory of 2007 and end the 11-year wait for an ICC title.