The ninth edition of the ICC T20 World Cup is set to commence on June 2. This time, a total of twenty teams will be vying for the coveted title over the course of 29 days.
In 2022 when the T20 World Cup was hosted in Australia, 16 teams competed at the showpiece event. Among them, eight teams featured in the qualifiers while the remaining sides earned direct entry into the Super 12 round based on the ICC team rankings.
After a month of action-packed cricket, England had the last laugh as they beat Pakistan in a low-scoring final to secure the coveted T20 World Cup title for the second time in history.
As we head to another edition of the multi-nation event, let’s take a look at what happened in the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Round 1 (Qualifiers):
The first round was comprised of two groups featuring four teams each. Sri Lanka and the Netherlands topped Group A after winning two of their three matches. Zimbabwe and Ireland dominated the proceedings in Group B, notching two victories each. The West Indies, who won the T20 World Cup twice in 2012 and 2014, failed to reach the Super 12 stage. The Caribbean suffered shocking defeats to Ireland and Scotland in the qualifying round.
Super 12s:
The Super 12 round also saw two groups with six teams each. Coming out of the qualifying round, Sri Lanka and Ireland were placed in Group 1 alongside Australia, England, New Zealand and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the other two teams– Zimbabwe and the Netherlands– found themselves in Group 2 featuring some powerhouses like India, Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh.
Three teams from Group 1 finished with seven points. Among them, New Zealand and England made it to the knockouts due to their superior net run rate while hosts Australia were eliminated. In the other group, India showcased their dominance and clinched the top spot on the back of four wins.
The Men in Blue met arch-rivals Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and it turned out to be a nail-biting clash. With Virat Kohli appearing at his devastating best, India won the match by four wickets. Despite the defeat, Pakistan could reach the knockout stage after registering three wins in Super 12s.
Semi-Final 1 – New Zealand vs Pakistan (Sydney Cricket Ground):
New Zealand batted first and ended up losing three wickets in the first ten overs. Following the dismissal of Glenn Philips, Daryl Mitchell joined hands with captain Kane Williamson to begin the rescue operation. The duo combined for a crucial 68-run stand, helping New Zealand set a comprehensive target of 153.
The opening pair of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam gave Pakistan a powerful start, stitching a 105-run partnership. Following them, Mohammad Haris contributed 30 runs to the scoresheet as the Asian giants chased down the target in 19.1 overs to capture a spot in the final.
Semi-Final 2 – India vs England (Adelaide Oval):
Team India lost a couple of early wickets before Virat Kohli stepped up with a 50-run knock to revive the innings. Riding on his valuable contributions and Hardik Pandya’s blazing 63, the Rohit Sharma-led side produced 168 runs, losing six wickets in 20 overs.
What happened in the second innings was nothing short of history. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales began the chase for England and both stayed unbeaten till the end. Buttler scored 80 off 49 balls while Hales played a quickfire 86-run knock in 47 deliveries. England comfortably reached the target in 16 overs to register a dominant ten-wicket victory.
Final – England vs Pakistan (Melbourne Cricket Ground):
The 2022 T20 World Cup final was headlined by an enthralling show from the English bowlers. Sam Curran sent off Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan with the new ball before picking two more wickets in the death overs. Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid also enjoyed a good outing and fetched two scalps each. Pakistan ended their innings at 137 at a loss of eight wickets.
England also lost a few early wickets during the chase. Ben Stokes, however, had held the wicket at one end. He got some assistance from Harry Brook and Moeen Ali who scored 20 and 19 runs respectively. Stokes struck an unbeaten 52 off 49 balls, taking England across the line in 19 overs.
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