Biggest defeats for Australia by runs in T20 World Cup
Australia are the best side in One Day Internationals with an outstanding success percentage and a record five World Cups. However, they have not been able to replicate those performances in T20Is and it took them seven editions to win their maiden T20 world title, which happened to be last year in the UAE.
Meanwhile, the Aussies have never been a dominant force when it comes to T20 World Cups and have suffered some bitter defeats in terms of runs in the last few editions of the showpiece event. Without further ado, here’s a look at three of the biggest of those.
3. 73 vs India, Mirpur, 2014
The Aussies had faced the eventual finalists India in their final group fixture of the T20 World Cup 2014 in Mirpur. India were already through to the semis while the Australians were out of the tournament making in an inconsequential clash. Nonetheless, even a manageable target of 160 runs on a good batting surface proved to be beyond Australia’s reach as they were skittled out for just 86 runs in the 17th over courtesy of an outstanding bowling figures from Ravichandran Ashwin who finished with figures of 4/11 from his 3.2 overs at an economy of 3.30.
2. 74 vs West Indies, Colombo, 2012
Australia were one of the strong contenders in the 2012 edition that was played in Sri Lanka. They successfully made the semis where they ran into the Daren Sammy-led West Indies who decimated them in a one-sided contest. In the second semifinal, the Windies posted a mammoth 205/4 batting first courtesy of a whirlwind unbeaten 41-ball 75 from the ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle. In reply, the Australians were never really in the chase and were eventually bundled out for just 131 in the 17th over. This was one of the rare failures for the Australians in ICC knockouts.
- 89 vs New Zealand, Sydney, 2022
Australia’s title defence began on a forgettable note when they locked horns with the Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the first Super 12 encounter of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. The last edition’s runners-up turned the tables on the Aaron Finch-led side this time around. Batting first, the Kiwis posted a stiff total of 200/3 thanks to an unbeaten 92 runs from 58 deliveries by opener Devon Conway and a solid start given by Finn Allen who scored a blistering 16-ball 42. The title-holders in reply kept losing wickets at regular intervals and despite a valiant 28 from power-hitter Glenn Maxwell, the Australian innings summed up at 111 runs in the 18th over.
