Records tumble as Australia finally win T20 World Cup

Australia emerged victorious in T20 World Cup 2021 after beating New Zealand in the final in Dubai by 8 wickets. Chasing a formidable target of 173 runs in 20 overs, the Aussie side rode on some exceptional batting from David Warner and Mitchell Marsh to go over the line in the 19th over. Both Warner and Marsh struck individual half-centuries during the course.

Earlier, New Zealand were able to put 172/4 in 20 overs, courtesy a brilliant batting from skipper Kane Williamson. The right-handed batsman struck a 48-ball 85 which included three maximums and 10 fours. Here we take a look at some of the stats from the tournament.

* Australia lifted their first ever T20 title. They reached the finals back in 2010 but suffered a defeat against England in the title clash. For New Zealand, it was their first T20 World Cup final.

* Australia pacer Mitchell Starc was struck for 60 runs in 4 overs in the final against New Zealand. He became the most expensive bowler to have ever bowled in the T20 World Cup final.

* David Warner became the highest run-getter for Australia in a T20 World Cup. The left-hander amassed a total of 289 runs in the tournament and surpassed Matthew Hayden who had notched up 265 runs in the 2007 edition.

* Mitchell Marsh scored the fastest fifty in a T20 World Cup final after he went past the 50-run mark in 31 balls.

* New Zealand’s skipper Kane Williamson’s 85 is the joint-highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final along with Malon Samuels 85* against England that he scored in 2016.

* Pakistan skipper Babar Azam scored the most runs in this T20 World Cup 2021. The right-hander struck a total of 303 runs in six matches that he played.

* The 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup witnessed three hat tricks. Ireland’s Curtis Campher picked up a hat trick against The Netherlands, while Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga achieved the feat against South Africa. Later, Proteas pacer Kagiso Rabada bagged a hat trick against England. Before this edition of the T20 World Cup, only Brett Lee had scalped a hat trick back in 2007 against Bangladesh.

* Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga picked up the highest wickets in the competition. The spinner scalped a total of 16 wickets in 8 matches.

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T20 World Cup | Final | 'Hard to process this' says coach Langer after global glory for Australia

The Australian coach Justin Langer, who had to bear it all after his team failed continuously in the past year, was ecstatic to have won his first major trophy with the bunch of players. Appointed the coach in 2018, Langer was part of the infamous sandpaper gate scandal that pushed Australian cricket way back. “It's hard to process into words,” said the 51-year-old when asked about his feelings after the global glory that his team achieved by beating the trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021. “This is such a special group of people. When we all got back together it was great. It is a very special moment for everyone, almost like a reunion. We knew how much talent we had,” Langer said trying to impress upon the point that when his team failed, it was mostly because it didn’t have the services of its top players. Talking about the players who shone in this World Cup, the former Australia Test opener lauded Micthell Marsh, who was the Player of the Match in the final, for grabbing the opportunity when he got one. “Leading into the World Cup in the series against West Indies and Bangladesh, there were a few missing pieces and Mitchell Marsh took one of those pieces. We embraced it and had fun,” Langer said. Praising the bowlers, the left-handed batter and one of the stern taskmasters said that he was impressed by the way Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood performed. “Zamps (Adam Zampa) puts a smile on my face. He is different, a bit hippy, but so so competitive. We have seen leg spinners having an impact in this format. Hazlewood had some back issues in the last World Cup but has come back strong,” he said.

T20 World Cup | Final: David Warner emerges from poor form with Player of the Tournament award

David Warner has been awarded the Player of the Tournament award for his phenomenal run of form with the bat at the top of the order for Australia. He was in horrible form coming into the tournament and there were question marks over his place in the side but the skipper Aaron Finch and Justin Lnager continued to have faith in him. He started off the tournament poorly but once he found some form in the game against Sri Lanka, he never looked back and brought his vintage best to provide Australia brilliant start one after another. He finished with 289 runs from seven games at a phenomenal strike rate of 147.44. Discussing his performance in the tournament, Warner said that he understood the need to go back to basics and tried some improvised training in the nets to get out of the rut. “Always felt really well. Didn't get much time in the middle in the two practice matches obviously. But for me, it was about going back to basics. Going to hard, synthetic wickets and trying to hit some balls,” Warner said in the post-match presentation. Emphasizing the magnanimity of the occasion, Warner rated the T20 World Cup win on par with the ODI World Cup win in the year 2015. He was also not forgetful of the bad experience he and Australia had to deal with in their last appearance at the final of the T20 World Cup in 2010. He applauded his teammates and whole support staff to make great efforts and make Australia a world-beating side in the T20 World Cup. “Definitely up there with 2015. Being part of the World Cup final against England a decade ago definitely hurt,” he said. “These guys are a great bunch of guys. Great support staff, great team, great support back home. Just wanted to put on a great spectacle for everyone. Bit of nerves around with a good score on the board. Just great to see the guys deliver,” Warner signed off.

T20 World Cup | Final | Player of the match Micthell Marsh doesn’t have enough words for the winning feeling

Mitchell Marsh, who was awarded Player of the Match in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021 against New Zealand didn’t have enough words to convey his emotions and excitement on becoming the first team from down under to win the T20 World Cup. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Marsh, who remained unbeaten on 77 off 50 balls, said, “Absolutely, it feels like [amaizing]. A lot of people say this, but I don't have words (emotional).” Marsh further thanked the coaches for their role in promoting him to the number three spot in the batting lineup. “The coaching staff came up to me in West Indies and asked to bat at 3. And everyone involved in the Australia team backed me to bat up there.” The 30-year-old who hadn’t had much going in this tournament with scores of 11 and 16 against South Africa and Bangladesh, did well to score a fifty in the last league game against West Indies and then hit big in the biggest game. He thanked his Western Australia teammate Marcus Stoinis for always prepping him for showing his presence in the big game. “Not a whole lot of thinking went into that [hitting first ball six in this match]. Stoinis always keeps telling about the presence. [I] Can't believe it. Feels just unbelievable,” he said.

T20 World Cup Final | What Experts Said after Australia's outstanding performance

Australia created history on Sunday evening in Dubai after they lifted their first ever T20 title. The Aaron Finch-led side defeated New Zealand by 8 wickets in the final to clinch the victory. Chasing a stiff total of 173, Australia lost the skipper Finch early in the innings but opener David Warner and Mitchell Marsh who had come in at number three steadied the ship and unveiled a brilliant performance with the willow. The two batters chipped in with a stand of 92 runs for the second wicket before Warner was cleaned up by Trent Boult for a 38-ball 53 which included three maximums and four fours during the course. But Warner’s departure didn’t really make a huge impact on the scoring rate as Marsh continued with his form and eventually returned unbeaten at 77 off 50 deliveries to see his side home. Maxwell who had come in at number four faced some issues initially but managed to score 28* off 18. Earlier, in the day, New Zealand rode on some emphatic batting from Kane Williamson to put 172/4 on the board in 20 overs. Williamson notched up 85 off 48 during the course. For Australia, it was Josh Hazlewood who was the pick of the bowlers after he returned with figures of 3/16 in 4 overs. But the pacer Mitchell Starc had a dismal run after he was hit for 60 runs in 4 overs. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said that they were able to put up a competitive total but it was sheer brilliance from Australia that they chased it down. “We were trying to get a platform and the surface was holding a fraction. But typical to here in Dubai. It was nice to build some partnerships and get what we thought was a competitive total. Only to be chased superbly by Australia. They're a fantastic side,” he said during the post-match presentation. Australia skipper Aaron Finch hailed the players on the way they performed in the tournament. “This is huge, to be the first Australia team to do it. So proud of how the guys went about the campaign. [Bangladesh game turning point?] Certainly was, backs were against the wall. We had to fight and certainly did that, had some great team and individual performances. [Warner] Can't believe people wrote him off a couple of weeks ago, it was almost like poking the bear,” Finch said. EXPERTS’ OPINION’ Commentator Harsha Bhogle lauded Mitchell Marsh for the kind of innings that he played against New Zealand in the final. “Australia just too powerful. What a player Mitch Marsh has become. Hopefully his body becomes a partner in his future because he is too good to be playing as little he has. Brilliant today,” he wrote on Twitter. Journalist Ayaz Memon also lavished praise on Australia for their title win. “Outstanding performance by Aussies. Popular sentiment, and their own record in T20s, made their prospects in this match somewhat suspect. But they cane hard at the Kiwis from the start, in bowling and batting, and won by a distance,” he tweeted. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra hailed Australia and the way the side fared in the final. “Australia lost Finch and Marsh made the very next over into a big one. Lost Warner and the same treatment meted out in the following over. The ability to counterattack in knockouts is special. Well played, Australia Zampa and Hazlewood were special throughout,” he wrote on Twitter. Former India bowler Irfan Pathan congratulated Australia on the win. “How many of you thought at the start of the tournament that Australia will even come close to winning this T20 WorldCup 2021 ??? Well done world champion Australia,” he tweeted. Australia had come into the final after beating Pakistan in the semis while New Zealand defeated England in the semi-final to march ahead.