The Home T20 World Cup hosted by England saw an unexpected loss by the hosts to the Netherlands at Lord’s. Despite this setback, England managed to qualify for the Super 8s, where they were eventually eliminated along with India and Australia after suffering heavy defeats.
Pakistan, led by Tillakaratne Dilshan’s unbeaten 96 off 57, secured a spot in the final by defeating West Indies by 57 runs in the semifinals. Sri Lanka took home the title after a dramatic final match that saw Pakistan seal their victory with another impressive performance by Afridi in the final, ultimately defeating Sri Lanka by eight wickets.
The tournament took place shortly after the tragic armed attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore, Pakistan. The pre-final anthems carried a special significance in light of the event. Teenage fast bowler Mohammad Amir played a crucial role by removing Dilshan early in the final match, leading to a collapse in the Sri Lankan batting line-up. Despite Kumar Sangakkara’s efforts, the team fell short in the final.
Afridi’s celebration at the end of the match became a defining moment of the tournament as he was named Player of the tournament for his stellar performances throughout