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The following are some of the highpoints of the inaugural Twenty-20 World Cup which was held in South Africa. The 12-nation tournament features the nine Test nations currently playing Test cricket along with Zimbabwe, Kenya and Scotland.
India defeated Pakistan by five runs in the final at Johannesburg to win the inaugural Twenty-20 World Cup. It was India’s first major triumph since winning the 60 overs-a-side World Cup by beating England in the final at Lord’s in 1983.
India’s five-run victory was the joint third smallest in terms of runs in Twenty-20 cricket after South Africa’s two-run win against Australia at Johannesburg on February 24,2006 and New Zealand two-run victory over England at Southampton on June 15,2006. New Zealand also beat England by five runs at Durban on September 18,2007. India’s previous smallest victory in terms of runs was 15 runs recorded against Australia in the semi final at Durban on September 22,2007.
Gambhir’s fifty (75) in the final was his third in Twenty-20 cricket. With this half century, Gambhir became the first Indian and fourth batsman overall to score three or more fifties in Twenty-20 cricket. The other batsmen to achieve this feat before him was Matthew Hayden (Australia- four fifties in 8 matches), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka- three fifties in 7 matches) and Graeme Smith (South Africa-three fifties in 10 matches).
South African Albie and Morne Morkel became the first pair of brothers who played in a Twenty-20 international match. They played together for the first time in the first match of the T20 World Cup between South Africa and West Indies at Johannesburg on September 11,2007.
In the final, Irfan Pathan and his elder brother Yusuf Pathan, who made his debut in that match, became the second pair of brothers to achieve this feat.
West Indian Chris Gayle became the first batsman ever to score a hundred in Twenty-20 international cricket. The left hand opening achieved this feat by making 117 off 57 balls with seven fours and 10 sixes in the first match of the Twenty-20 World Cup against South Africa at Johannesburg, on September 11,2007. Australian Ricky Ponting who made 98 off 55 balls against New Zealand at Auckland on February 17,2005 held the previous record of highest individual score in Twenty-20 international cricket. The first ever century in this form of cricket came in the 20th match.
By hitting 10 sixes during his 117-run kncok, Gayle also set up a new record of most sixes in an innings in Twenty-20 internationals cricket. Australian Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist and Bangladesh’s Nazimuddin held the previous record. All four batsmen hit five sixes each.
As many as 418 runs were scored for the loss of 10 wickets in 40 overs in the match between India and England at Durban on September 19,2007 which is the new record of highest match aggregate in Twenty-20 cricket. The previous record was 413 runs for eight wickets in 37.4 overs between West Indies and South Africa at Johannesburg on September 11,2007.
Kenya recorded the lowest ever total in Twenty-20 international cricket when they were bundled out for just 73 runs in 16.5 overs against New Zealand in the second match of  Twenty-20 World Cup at Durban on September 12,2007. Australia’s 79 in 14.3 overs against England at Southampton on June 13,2005 was the previous lowest in this form of cricket while Kenya’s lowest was 92 in 19.4 overs against Pakistan at Nairobi on September 4,2007.
New Zealand recorded the second biggest victory in terms of wickets and the biggest in terms of balls remaining in this form of cricket by reaching the target after losing one wicket with 74 balls to spare against Kenya. South Africa’s 10 wicket victory over Pakistan at Johannesburg on February 2,2007 is the biggest ever win in Twenty-20 cricket. The Africans achieved this victory with 51 balls to spare which was previous biggest win in terms of balls remaining.
As many as 147 runs were scored for the loss of 11 wickets in 24.3 overs in the match between Kenya and New Zealand at Durban which was the lowest match aggreagte in Twenty-20 circket. The previous record was 185 runs for the loss of 12 wickets in 33.4 overs between Pakistan and Kenya at Nairobi on September 4,2007.
Six batsmen failed to open their account in Kenyan innings against New Zealand at Durban which was a new record of most duck in Twenty-20 internationals. Australia held the previous record.There were three duck in Australian innings of 79 against England at Southampton on June 13,2005.
New Zealand’s Mark Gillespie recorded the best bowling performance in Twenty-20 cricket by taking four wickets for seven runs against Kenya at Durban on September 12,2007. Paul Collingwood who claimed four wickets for 22 runs against Sri Lanka at Southampton on June 15,2006 held the previous record in this form of cricket.
Sri Lanka recorded the highest score in Twenty-20 international matches by making 260 for six in 20 overs against Kenya at Johannesburg on September 14,2007. Australia who made 221 for five in 20 overs against England at Sydney on January 9,2007 held the previous record.
Sri Lanka’s 172-run victory over Kenya was the biggest in terms of runs in Twenty-20 cricket. England who beat Australia by 100 runs at Southampton on June 13,2005 held the previous record.
India and Pakistan played out a thrilling tie in the Twenty20 World Cup at Johannesburg on September 14. It was the second tied match in this form of cricket. The first ever tied match in Twenty-20 international cricket was played between West Indies (126 for seven in 20 overs) and New Zealand (126 for eight in 20 overs) at Auckland on February 16,2005.
There were six run-outs in the match between India and New Zealand at Johannesburg on September 16 which is a new record of most run-outs in a Twenty-20 match. The previous record was four run outs between England and Sri Lanka at Southampton on June 15,2006. Four run-outs in New Zealand innings is also a new record in an innings of a Twenty-20 match. Sri Lanka held the previous record. Three Sri Lankan batsmen were run outs against England at Southampton on June 15,2006.
England wicket-keeper Matt Prior equalled Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist’s record of most dismissals in an innings of Twenty-20 international cricket by catching four batsmen in South African innings at Cape Town on September 16,2007. Gilchrist held four catches in Zimbabwean innings at the same ground on September 12.
Brett Lee became the first ever bowler to accomplish a hat trick in Twenty-20 international matches. The Australian speedster achieved this feat by dismissing Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, caught by wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, Mashrafe Mortaza, bowled, and Alok Kapali, leg before, on the third, fourth and fifth ball of his third over at Cape Town September 16,2007. Twenty-20 international cricket’s first hat trick came in the 33rd match. Australian Frederick Spofforth achieved first hat trick in third Test match while Pakistan’s Jalaluddin performed first hat trick in the 159th match in limited overs international cricket.
England’s Darren Maddy became the first bowler to take two wickets in his first over in Twenty-20 international matches. The right arm medium pacer from Leicester achieved this feat by dismissing New Zealand’s Craig McMillan and Jacob Oram at Durban on September 18,2007. It was Maddy’s first over in third Twenty-20 match.
Pakistan’s slow left arm orthodox bowler Fawad Alam became the first bowler to take a wicket in his first over on debut in Twenty-20 cricket. He achieved this feat by holding New Zealand’s opening batsman Lou Vincent on his own bowling in the first semi final at Cape Town. It was his fifth ball in Twenty-20 international matches.
Yuvraj Singh became the first batsman to hammered six sixes in an over in Twenty 20 cricket. The left hand batsman achieved this feat by smashing Englishman Stuart Broad’s fourth and final over at Durban on September 19,2007. Australian skipper Ricky Ponting who hit 30 runs against New Zealand’s Daryl Tuffey at Auckland on February 17,2005 held the previous record of most runs in a Twenty-20 matches. The vice-captain of Indian team is only the fourth batsman in the history of cricket to hit six sixes in an over. India’s Ravi Shasti and West Indian Gary Sobers achieved this in first class matches while Herschelle Gibbs did the same in a limited overs international cricket. The South African batsman smashed every ball off Dan van Bunge’s fourth over for a six in a World Cup match at Waner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts on March 16, 2007.
Yuvraj Singh scored the fastest ever fifty in Twenty-20 cricket by reaching 50 off just 12 balls with three fours and six sixes during his 58-run knock against England at Durban on September 19,2007 .Bangladesh’s Mohammed Ashraful who completed his half century of 20 balls during his 61-run knock against West Indies at Johannesburg on September 13,2007 held the previous record of fastest fifty in this form of cricket.
Virender Sehwag (68), Gautam Gambhir (58) and Yuvraj Singh (58) struck fifties in the Indian innings against England at Durban, making it the first time that three batsmen have score half-centuries in the same innings in Twenty-20 cricket.
Left arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya recorded the joint worst bowling performance in Twenty-20 cricket by giving 64 runs in four overs against Pakistan at Johannesburg on September 17,2007. England’s fast bowler James Anderson also gave same number of runs in four overs against Australia at Sydney on January 9,2007.
Syed Rasel’s spell of 4-1-10-1 against West Indies at Johannesburg on September 13,2007, is the most economical for a bowler having delivered four overs in a Twenty20 international match.
West Indian Chris Gayle and Devon Smith set up the highest partnership in Twenty-20 cricket by adding 145 runs for the first wicket against South Africa at Johannesburg on September 11,2007. They surpass the previous best of 132-run stand between South African Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman against Pakistan at Johannesburg on February 2,2007.
Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan set a new record for the fourth wicket partnership in Twenty-20 international cricket by adding 101 against Sri Lanka at Johannesburg on September 172007.
They improve on the previous record of 100 runs between England’s Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood against Zimbabwe at Cape Town on September 13,2007. Malik and Younis’ stand was first century partnerhsip for Pakistan and eighth overall in this form of cricket.
Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq set a new record for the fifth wicket by putting on 119 runs for the undefeated stand against Australia at Johannesburg on September 18,2007. Australian Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich who added 83 runs against New Zealand at Auckland on February 17,2005 held the previous record.
The undefeated third wicket stand of 120 runs between Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp for South Africa against West Indies at Johannesburg on September 11, 2007 is the new record for the third wicket partnership in Twenty-20 cricket. Australian Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds who added 84 runs against South Africa at Brisbane on January 9,2006 held the previous record.

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