World Twenty20 classic moments - part one

Zimbabwe celebrate shocking Australia in Cape Town

Zimbabwe stun Australia

Nobody knew quite what to expect at the first World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007. What they certainly didn't see coming was a huge shock on the second day of the tournament as Ricky Ponting's Australia were beaten by Zimbabwe in Group B. Australia were reigning world champions in the 50-over format but found themselves 19-3 after choosing to bat first at Newlands. They limped to 138-9 before Zimbabwe opener Brendan Taylor showed that total up to be entirely inadequate in this brave new world. Taylor's 60 not out steered Zimbabwe home to a five-wicket victory with a ball to spare.

Drama under the lights

India defeated rivals Pakistan 3-0 in a bowl-out after the two teams had played out a thrilling Twenty20 tie under lights in Durban. Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Robin Uthappa were all on target to give eventual champions India a victory that meant they finished top of Group D, while Pakistan still went through to the next round of the tournament. Chasing 142, Pakistan seemed dead and buried when Shahid Afridi was the sixth wicket to go down, leaving a further 39 runs required off the final 14 deliveries. However, Yasir Arafat proceeded to belt 10 off the next two balls, and with Misbah-ul-Haq crashing two boundaries at the start of the final over, the scores were tied with two deliveries to go. Shanthakumaran Sreesanth held his nerve to save the day for India, though, Misbah (53) being run out off the final ball trying to sneak the match-winning single. The two teams went on to contest the final - where there was another close finish, with India winning by five runs (see below).

Yuvraj's six of the best

England seamer Stuart Broad was left shell-shocked when he was smashed for six sixes in an over by India's Yuvraj Singh. South Africa's win over New Zealand had already eliminated England when they took on India in Durban. Broad received his savaging in the penultimate over of India's innings as Yuvraj made the fastest fifty in international history, off 12 balls. It was also the first maximum score from an over in international Twenty20 cricket and ultimately left England winless in three second phase games. India eventually posted 218-4 and England were always struggling to keep up with the rate before losing by 18 runs.

T20's tipping point: India triumph

India won the inaugural title, beating arch-rivals Pakistan by five runs in a final-ball thriller in Johannesburg. After Mahendra Singh Dhoni had won the toss and elected to bat, his decision seemed to backfire when, opener Gautam Gambhir aside, India laboured to 157-5. Gambhir hit eight fours and two sixes in his innings, which ended on 75 after an attempted reverse sweep off Umar Gul fell to Mohammad Asif at short fine leg. But India's attack made amends by reducing Pakistan to 152 all out, with matters only settled in the final over. Pakistan needed 13 runs to win and, after bowling a wide, Joginder Sharma appeared to be fluffing his lines as Misbah-ul-Haq propelled his third delivery back whence it came. However, Misbah was out for 43 on the very next ball, caught by Sreesanth at fine leg, and the balance was finally settled in India's favour.

Dutch shocker for England

Netherlands shocked hosts England at Lord's in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 curtain-raiser, scoring two runs off the final ball to claim a famous four-wicket win. Luke Wright top-scored with 71 off 49 balls as England posted 162-5 off their 20 overs, with Ryan ten Doeschate claiming 2-35. In reply, Tom de Grooth scored 49 off 30 balls and Netherlands hit four sixes to see the game come down to Stuart Broad's final ball. Edgar Schiferli was facing and, after he got a bat on it, Broad picked the ball up in his follow-through but turned and missed his attempted run-out, allowing the Dutch to notch an extra run from the overthrow and pull off the win. England were to have the last laugh, though, going through to the Super 8s as Group B winners on run-rate after beating eventual champions Pakistan, with Netherlands exiting.

Lee feels Gayle's force

Chris Gayle put Brett Lee to the sword as West Indies beat Australia by seven wickets in their Group C opener at the Oval. After Australia had posted 169-7 from their 20 overs, West Indies were 44-0 after four overs in reply, with openers Gayle and Andre Fletcher at the cease. The fifth over saw skipper Gayle smash Lee's first ball out of the ground and onto the Harleyford Road outside to bring up the fifty in fine style. He then launched Lee's next length ball straight over the pavilion for another six before hitting another four fours, with a no-ball thrown in for good measure as his side plundered 27 off the over to leave the shell-shocked Lee with figures of 0-51 from three overs. Gayle had scored 88 from 50 balls, including six fours and six sixes, when Lee eventually claimed his wicket when he holed out to Shane Watson at long-on. West Indies won the game inside 16 overs and went on to reach the semi-finals of the tournament, while Australia crashed out at the group stage.

Proteas scrape home

Proof that you don't need fours and sixes to make Twenty20 cricket entertaining came in this thrilling group encounter at Lord's back in 2009. Defending just 128, South Africa produced an unlikely turnaround with the ball to defeat New Zealand by one run and top Group D. The Proteas had laid a solid opening platform through Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith, but let slip a strong position to slump from 49-0 to 128-7. New Zealand looked certain to chase down the target thanks to a half-century from captain Brendon McCullum but he lacked any support from the middle order. The Blac Caps needed four to win off the last ball, bowled by Wayne Parnell, but Jacob Oram could only muster two and was run out coming back for a third which would have clinched a tie.

'Boom Boom' lights up Lord's

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. A player for the big occasion, Shahid Afridi inspired Pakistan to World Twenty20 glory with a match-winning half-century against Sri Lanka in the 2009 Lord's final. Batting at No 3, Afridi arrived at the middle in the eighth over with his side well-placed on 48-1 in pursuit of the 139 needed for victory. He was in good form too, coming into the match on the back of a half-century in a narrow seven-run semi-final win over South Africa at Trent Bridge. He picked up where he left off in Nottingham with a responsible knock, settling for singles before launching Muttiah Muralitharan for a six and a four in successive balls before inflicting the same punishment on Isuru Udanan later in the innings. He may not have hit the winning run (his thigh pad took the credit) but this was undoubtedly one of Afridi's finest hours.