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This T20 World Cup 2024 has opened a Pandora's box of many surprises for the cricket fraternity and the fans. The Rashid Khan-led Afghanistan side stunned New Zealand by securing an 84-run victory on Friday, June 7, at Providence Stadium, Guyana. This is Afghanistan's first-ever win over the Blackcaps in international cricket, having been beaten in the previous four encounters.
With Rashid leading from the front with his sensational four-wicket haul, he has now put his name among the best figures by a captain in T20 World Cup history. In the past, there have been few skippers whose performances have helped their respective teams secure crucial wins.
Let's take a look at the best bowling performances by a leader in the tournament's history.
#3 Zeeshan Maqsood - 4/20 vs PNG, T20 World Cup 2021
In the first game of T20 World Cup 2021, the Zeeshan Maqsood-led Oman side clashed against Papua New Guinea. Bilal Khan and Kaleemullah breached the defenses of both PNG openers to send them back for a duck.
The experience of Assad Vala and Charles Amini proved to be crucial for PNG, as both batters found boundaries at their will. However, the 12th over saw a change in the match scenario as Amini was run out by Mohammad Nadeem.
In the 16th over, Maqsood took a total of three wickets. The first ball witnessed his straight delivery taking the off-stump of Norman Vanua. Two balls later, a reverse scoop from Sese Bau could only find the hands of the short third-man fielder. The left-arm spinner induced an edge of Kiplin Doriga in the fifth delivery.
In the 18th over, a terrific catch from Nadeem dismissed Damien Ravu as Maqsood finished with figures of 4/20 and PNG posted 129/9 in 20 overs.
In response, Aqib Ilyas (50*) and Jatinder Singh (73*) stitched together an unbeaten 131-run stand to seal the chase with more than six overs to spare.
#2 Daniel Vettori - 4/20 vs India, T20 World Cup 2007
This game remains the only defeat eventual champions India suffered in the T20 World Cup 2007. Coming into this game with a thrilling bowl-out victory over Pakistan, the Men in Blue were high in spirits ahead of their Super 8 clash against New Zealand at Johannesburg.
Although New Zealand were rocked by an early dismissal of Lou Vincent, Brendon McCullum's (45) counter-attacking helped the Blackcaps to be in good stead.
Then all-rounders Craig McMillan (44) and Jacob Oram (35) displayed six-hitting extravaganza to boost the team to a mammoth 190 on the board.
In pursuit of a big chase, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were aggressive from the start and raced to a 50-run partnership in just 25 balls.
However, Sehwag (40) couldn't utilize Oram's full-toss, and was holed out at mid-wicket in the sixth over, with India at 76/1. Immediately, Vettori brought himself into the attack and secured a soft dismissal of Robin Uthappa, who was coming into this game after scoring a match-winning fifty against Pakistan.
In the 11th over, Gambhir came down the track to deposit Vettori's ball into the long-on stands and also completed his fifty off 31 balls. However, a few balls later, Vettori was smart enough to deliver a slower ball, as he saw the southpaw charging again. The ball bounced off Gambhir's gloves and was caught by keeper McCullum.
The two back-to-back wickets of Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni put the Indian team under serious pressure as they still needed more than 60 runs in the last six overs.
The 17th over saw Irfan Pathan getting beaten up by Vettori's pace, trying to run down the ball towards the third man area. A few balls later, the left-arm spinner secured the crucial wicket of Dinesh Karthik and finished with figures of 4/20 off four overs.
In the end, India could only manage to score 190/9 and lost by 10 runs.
#1 Rashid Khan - 4/17 vs NZ, T20 World Cup 2024
Often counted as a bowling-heavy side, Afghanistan secured a remarkable victory over New Zealand, courtesy of an all-round brilliance. Although openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran (44) had their luck in the first 10 overs, they turned on the attack as the innings progressed.
Gurbaz was sensational with his knock of 80 off 56 and paved the way for the team to post 159/6. Trent Boult and Matt Henry finished with two wickets each for the Blackcaps.
Thereafter, it was a dream start for Afghanistan, as Fazalhaq Farooqi took the wickets of Finn Allen, Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell.
Rashid Khan introduced himself into the attack, with New Zealand at 33/3 in six overs. In the very first ball, skipper Kane Williamson tried to be cheeky to run the ball past the slip fielder, but could only let the ball be up in the air and get caught by Gulbadin Naib. With Rashid's second dismissal of Williamson in four T20 innings, the entire Afghanistan team were in jubilation.
In his next over, Rashid's wrong-un skid through to breach the defense of Mark Chapman. The following delivery witnessed Michael Bracewell failing to read the ball, which went on with the arm, and getting trapped LBW by Rashid.
The outside edge of Lockie Ferguson in the 13th over resulted in a soft caught-and-bowled dismissal for Rashid. He finished with figures of 4/17 off four overs. With eight four-plus wicket-hauls in T20Is, he now shares the top spot with Shakib Al Hasan in the elite list.
