Most expensive overs in T20I cricket
T20I cricket in the current times has evolved into a game of margins. The batting side may gain a great deal of confidence and rhythm from one over. On the other hand, it undermines the bowling team’s morale. If a bowler makes a mistake, the entire team’s game might be ruined. Not to mention, teams attempt to increase their run rate during league-stage fixtures. They now have greater motivation to pursue every ball, as a result. The outcome of the entire game can be determined by one over. Let us have a look at the most expensive T20I overs in the men’s game:
3. Wayne Parnell (South Africa)- 32 runs vs England, September 2012; Izatullah Dawlatzai (Afghanistan)- 32 runs vs England, September 2012; Stuart Binny (India)- 32 runs vs West Indies, August 2016; MP O’Dowd (Netherlands)- 32 runs vs Scotland, September 2019; N Pokana (Nepal)- 32 runs vs Papua New Guinea, March 2022
To date, five bowlers have conceded 32 runs in an over in the 20-over format on the international stage. The first instance of conceding 32 runs in an over happened in 2012 when Jos Buttler smashed Wayne Parnell. Jonny Bairstow and Luke Wright had hit Afghanistan’s Izatullah Dawlatzai in the same year and same month too. Evin Lewis repeated similar heroics in 2016 when he smashed Stuart Binny. Scotland’s George Munsey hit O’Dowd for 32 runs when the two teams clashed in 2019 and recently, Mohammad Aadil Alam and Dipendra Singh Airee smashed Nosaina Pokana for 32 runs in March 2022.
2. Shivam Dube (India)- 34 Runs vs New Zealand, February 2020
India and New Zealand played each other in a Twenty20 International at Mount Maunganui in 2020. To win, New Zealand had to chase the target of 164 runs set by India. The hosts were down to 17/3 after 3.2 overs thanks to the Indian bowlers. After the major blow, Tim Seifert and Ross Taylor had taken charge of the game. The duo smashed Shivam Dube for 34 runs and cut the chase short as the equation dropped from 66 runs off 60 deliveries from a point where the Black Caps needed 100 in 10 overs.
1. Stuart Broad (England)- 36 runs vs India, September 2007 & Akila Dananjaya (Sri Lanka)- 36 runs vs West Indies, March 2021
Yuvraj Singh scripted history when he smashed England’s Stuart Broad for six sixes in the inaugural ICC T20I World Cup 2007. Batting at 14*(6), Singh went on to make his bat talk as he recorded the quickest T20I half-century ever. Akila Dananjaya had conceded 36 runs off a single over when West Indies had faced Sri Lanka in a T20I in 2021. Picking consecutive wickets in his early overs, he went on to give away 36 runs as Kieron Pollard smashed him for six sixes.
