Few predicted the bowlers’ carnage that took place over four weeks in India and Sri Lanka during the just concluded Twenty20 World Cup, despite the fact that Twenty20 was supposed to favor hitters.
The 20-team competition turned into a fast-paced display of power hitting, changing what constitutes a “par” total in this format as well as the upper bounds of scoring.
This year’s competition saw an incredible 780 sixes hit, a 50.87% increase from the 517 smashed in the West Indies and the US in 2024.
Three of the four 250-plus totals in the competition were achieved by eventual champions India alone, and the 200-mark was broken a record 14 times.
The collective hitting strike rate reached 134, the highest in tournament history and a clear sign of where white-ball batting is headed, thanks to flat grounds in both host countries and fearless intent.
As India powered to a mammoth 255/5 in the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, former England captain Michael Vaughan took to X to say: “fantastic striking … but let’s be honest this isn’t a fair balance between Bat & Ball.”
However, Rob Walter, the coach of New Zealand, didn’t think it was worth complaining about batting mayhem if the crowd was captivated.
“I guess it comes down to what you view as entertainment, really. It seems to be the trend around the world that runs are the thing that people want to see. Of course, I believe you still want to have an even contest,” Reuters quoted Walter as saying.
Off the field, the desire for fours and sixes was also evident. ICC chairman Jay Shah noted on X that the India-England semi-final in Mumbai broke digital records with a peak concurrency of 65.2 million viewers, the biggest for any live event globally.
“It is tough, the bats are very good. The guys obviously practice hitting the ball far, and when the pitches give not much to the bowlers, it does make it very tough. But ultimately, if that’s the way the game’s going then the onus is obviously on the bowlers to develop their skills and develop them quickly,” Walter said.
India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is most likely the role model for bowlers. For the third time in a T20 World Cup, the seam bowling prodigy finished with the best economy rate (6.21) of any player who bowled more than 100 balls. This serves as a reminder that exceptional skill can still stifle scoring, even on highways.
“Bumrah is a once-in-a-generation bowler. I can call him a national treasure. He knows how it needs to be done. He is the best in the business,” India captain Suryakumar Yadav said of his pace spearhead, who produced a match-winning haul in the final.
