Top 10 game-changing moments in T20 World Cup history

T20 cricket is synonymous with excitement, aggression, and nail-biting finishes. Since its introduction, the shortest format has transformed the game, producing some of the most iconic and unforgettable moments in cricket history. With its fast pace and high-octane action, T20 cricket has consistently delivered drama like no other format.

As the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, draws closer, it’s the perfect time to revisit the moments that defined the tournament over the years. From six sixes in an over and jaw-dropping catches to superhuman performances from legendary names, the T20 World Cup has never failed to amaze fans worldwide.

Across nine editions since the inaugural tournament in 2007, the T20 World Cup has produced several career-defining and game-changing moments, moments that are etched forever in cricket’s golden history.

Here are the top 10 game-changing moments in T20 WC history:

10. Virat Kohli’s masterclass vs Australia, 2016

If this inning is coming in at number 10, imagine how many legendary performances there have been in the T20 World Cups. It was a virtual knockout between India and Australia in the 2016 edition, where Virat Kohli showed the world why he is considered the chase master.

Chasing a modest target of 161, the Men in Blue found themselves reeling at 49/3. And then came a masterclass from India’s no. 3, as the New Delhi-born scored an unbeaten 82 off 51, ensuring a semifinal spot was sealed for the hosts. Besides runs and boundaries, the way Kohli shaped the run chase to perfection was a treat to the eyes. This inning will forever keep a special mention in the history books.

9. MS Dhoni run-out vs Bangladesh, 2016

Defending 10 runs in the final over, Hardik Pandya found himself under immediate pressure after being cracked for boundaries off his second and third deliveries. Just when it seemed to be slipping away, Pandya produced a stunning turnaround, taking two wickets in consecutive balls. 

With two runs needed off the last ball, Pandya bowled a back-of-a-length, with Shuvagata Hom failing to connect. Mustafizur Rahman tried sneaking in one run, but MS Dhoni was lightning quick, sprinting towards the stumps and breaking them in one swift motion to seal a heart-stopping victory for India.

8. First T20I century ft. Chris Gayle, 2007

Six-hitting machine from the Caribbean, Chris Gayle's 117 off 57 balls in this match was the dawn of a new beginning in cricket. This was the first-ever century in T20 Internationals, a milestone that set the tone for what T20 cricket would become.

Gayle's innings was a masterclass in power hitting, as he tore apart the South African bowling attack, smashing 10 sixes and seven fours. He reached his century in just 50 balls. Even though the West Indies lost the match, this inning was a glimpse of what batting would look like in the future. 

7. Misbah-Ul-Haq's catch by Sreesanth, 2007

This was the match that changed the history of T20 forever. After sending a team full of youngsters, opting to rest seniors, Team India under MSD scripted history by winning the inaugural T20 WC, and this victory potentially paved the way for a phenomenon known as the Indian Premier League. 

It was Pakistan’s match to lose, with a well-set Misbah batting. Pakistan required six runs off four balls, with inexperienced Joginder Sharma bowling. And then, the Pakistani batter decided to scoop the ball in the air, with Sreesanth under it. Under immense pressure, the Kerala bowler took the catch, India becoming the first-ever T20 World Champions.

6. Mike Hussey’s late blitz vs Pakistan, 2010

Australia appeared all but out when Mike Hussey walked in with the asking rate soaring and wickets falling in the second semifinal of the 2010 T20 WC. Facing Pakistan’s ace spinner Saeed Ajmal, who at that time was at the peak of his powers, Hussey took calculated risks, using his experience and calm under pressure to mount a remarkable counterattack.

Requiring 18 runs off the final over, Hussey launched Ajmal for three sixes and sealed the deal. His late onslaught turned a near-impossible chase into a famous victory and played a decisive role in Australia’s march towards their maiden T20 World Cup title, making it one of the tournament’s most defining moments. 

5. Matthew Wade’s hat-trick of sixes vs Pakistan, 2021

With Australia needing 22 runs off the final over in a high-pressure semi-final, Matthew Wade faced the daunting task of taking on Shaheen Afridi, who was in tremendous form in the tournament. The equation looked heavily tilted in Pakistan’s favour.

What followed was nothing short of extraordinary. Wade stayed deep in the crease and launched Shaheen for three consecutive sixes, turning the game on its head in a matter of moments. The stunning assault sealed Australia’s place in the final and handed Pakistan one of the most heartbreaking defeats in T20 World Cup history.

4. Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes in an over vs England, 2007

Under the lights at Durban, Yuvraj Singh produced a moment that changed T20 cricket forever. After a fiery exchange with Andrew Flintoff, Yuvraj unleashed his fury on Stuart Broad, smashing six sixes in an over, the first time the feat was achieved in men’s T20 internationals.

The breathtaking assault not only took India to a massive total but also shifted the global perception of the shortest format. Yuvraj’s 58 off 16 balls remains one of the most explosive innings in World Cup history, a moment that announced T20 cricket’s arrival on the biggest stage. Ravi Shastri’s commentary during this moment still echoes in cricket fans’ ears. 

3. Suryakumar Yadav’s catch vs South Africa, 2024

‘Catches win matches’ is an age-old saying in cricket. And if any moment defines this saying, it was this. South Africa needed 17 runs off the final over, with dangerous David Miller on strike. Hardik Pandya bowled a juicy full-toss, with Miller hitting it in the air, nearly over long-off, where Suryakumar was stationed. 

Suryakumar Yadav ran to his left from long-off and grabbed the catch, before lobbing it up in the air as momentum took him over the boundary rope, and then got back inside to complete a World Cup-defining catch. India won the T20 World Cup after 17 long years.

2. Virat Kohli's iconic 82* vs Pakistan, 2022

In what many regard as the greatest T20I innings ever played, Virat Kohli scripted an unforgettable chapter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 2022 T20 World Cup. Chasing 160, India were reeling at 31/4 when Kohli took control, absorbing pressure before launching a breathtaking assault at the death. 

His back-to-back sixes off Haris Rauf, including ‘the shot of the century’, turned the game on its head. Kohli’s unbeaten 82 off 53 balls didn’t just seal a dramatic win; it reaffirmed his status as the ultimate big-match player on the biggest stage. This was Virat Kohli, the finisher at the peak of his powers.

1. Carlos Brathwaite vs England, Final, 2016

The West Indies needed 19 off the final over of the 2016 T20 World Cup final, and Carlos Brathwaite delivered a moment for the ages. Facing Ben Stokes, the West Indies all-rounder smashed four consecutive sixes, sealing an unimaginable victory and giving birth to Ian Bishop’s iconic call, “Remember the name!”

In a span of four deliveries, Brathwaite turned heartbreak into history, handing West Indies their second T20 World Cup title. The finish remains one of the most dramatic endings ever witnessed in cricket and a defining image of the tournament’s magic.