ICC World T20 2026 Top 10 Moments : Another World Cup done, another set of memories collected.

As the dust settles on another ICC tournament, in this case the men’s T20 world cup in India and Sri Lanka, it's time to look back on another exciting tournament and pick 10. It's always tough picking 10, but somehow, I have managed to knit-pick, So, here’s pitch point’s list of 10 most riveting moments of the slam bang tournament that enthralled the fans across the world. 

10 : India, Pakistan, politics, and another lopsided victory.  

An India Pakistan ICC game has seriously gotten one sided now. The moment has made it to the top 10 because of the off field drama that took place. Pakistan’s indecision had almost cost them a lot, but in the end when they took on arch rivals India, the blue brigade made sure that it cost them the match as well. 

Ishan Kishan and Shivam Dube with the bat and then Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel with the ball  made sure that Pakistan only won the toss in the high octane clash. India posted 176 and knocked off Pakistan for a mere 114, proving only one point - On field performance matters over off field theatrics. 

9 :  Italy, the new wonder in world cricket. 

For  a country that has idolised the likes of Buffon, Andre Pirlo and Paolo Maldini, Italy had little exposure as far as cricket was concerned. But that changed. And it changed at India’s theatre of dreams, the Wankhede stadium. Having restricted a robust team like Nepal to a mere 123, one thought that Italy would race away to a thumping win as they chased down 124 in just 13 overs. Justin and Anthony Mosca, with twin 60’s ripped apart the Nepal bowling and scripted a memorable win for team Italy.  

The win was special for more reasons than one as a football loving nation pulled off a 10 wicket win at a game they rarely have exposure to and proving a point that associate nations do deserve a shot at big ticket events. 

8 : Allen and Seifert decimate UAE. 

The Chepauk has always been a defending ground as we have seen in the IPL. A chase here requires a wholesome batting effort. And Finn Allen and Tim Seifert made the effort more than wholesome. UAE made a formidable 173 and sent a bit of panic in the Kiwi camp. Seifert and Allen then scored, scored and scored as they chased down the target in a canter. A riveting 89 from Siefert and another terrific 84 from Allen made sure that the rest of the batting just chilled in the dugout. Matt Henry did lead the bowling with an impressive 2/33 of his 4 overs, but the Kiwi openers' run riot overshadowed everything else on that hot afternoon in Chennai as the Kiwis clipped UAE wings in some style. 

7 : Faheem Ashraf stands between Netherlands and another upset 

The very opening day of the tournament provided an absolute potboiler as Pakistan, who were on course to chase a modest score of 148. Babar Azam, who failed as a T20 batsman yet again was the “centre of attraction” as from a position of strength, Pakistan strangled themselves as 29 were required of 12 balls. But Faheem Ashraf stood like a rock. He took 25 runs off Logan Van Beek and left the Dutch stunned.

Faheem was also helped by a drop catch by Max O’ Dowd and as a result, Pakistan escaped another jail-break as they won the game in the last over. But before Ashraf’s heroics, Pakistan produced a robust bowling performance to restrict the Dutch to a modest score of 146, which helped them chase down the total eventually with 3 balls to spare.

6 : All round England apply a spin choke on Co hosts Sri Lanka.

The first game of the super 8 was expected to be a one sided affair as Sri Lanka were expected to steamroll England as conditions were in their favor. But in ICC events, conditions matter only on paper as England flipped the script in fine fashion. Having won the toss, Sri Lanka decided to bowl first and restricted the English to a modest 146 with Dunith Wellalage, taking a 3fer.  Phil Salt top scored with 62, but the English had a task on their hands as they needed to produce a tight bowling performance. 

And that bowling performance came from the talismanic Will Jacks. A riveting 3/22 from him, aided by Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson ensured that the hosts succumbed to a meagre 95 all out. Dasun Shanaka tried to hunt it down, but England came up trumps in this riveting battle of spin at the Premadasa. 

5 : Jacks bails out England….. again…. 

New Zealand and England at the world cups have always been fascinating encounters. And this super 8 clash was no less. New Zealand batted first and cameos from Siefert, Philips and Finn Allen propelled them to a competitive 159 which was a more than par score on that pitch considering the spin attack they had in Sodhi, Santner, Philips and Rachin Ravindra. 

And they wreaked havoc on the English batting as they were reduced to 117/6 at the end of 17 overs. With 43 needed off 18 balls, Santner turned to Glenn Philips to slow the game down. But the game went past the Kiwis in a flash as Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks pulled off another heist thereby leaving New Zealand’s hopes of semi final qualification high and dry. 

4 : A Dasun Shanaka special ALMOST pips Pakistan at the death. 

Having knocked them out of the semi final race, the goal for Sri Lanka was to beat Pakistan and secure a consolation win. A terrific hundred by Sahibzada Farhan and a fast paced 90 from Fakhar Zaman propelled Pakistan to a massive 212. But still Pakistan felt that they were 20 runs short as Sri Lanka pulled things back at the death with impressive spells from Dilshan Madhushanka and Shanaka the bowler. 

In the chase, Sri Lanka stuttered a bit as Abrar Ahmed spun through their batting with an impressive 3/23. Sri Lanka were 162 at the end of the 18th over and by the end of the 19th, they needed 28 of 6. Dasun Shanaka the bowler conceded 42 runs so naturally, he had to compensate with his batting. With 18 required off the last 3 balls, Shanaka smashed Shaheen Afridi for 2 sixes of two balls leaving a six of the final ball. But Shaheen Afridi was smart enough to bowl a wide yorker and Shanaka swung and missed it to give Pakistan a narrow win to cap their super 8 off in fine fashion

3 : Zimbabwe cook Kangaroo curry for dinner…. AGAIN.

The last time Zimbabwe played Australia in a T20 world cup game, it went till the last over and the former won it. This time however, they cooked them… that too emphatically.  They used the conditions in Sri Lanka to their advantage as even after posting a mid total of 169 with cameos from Brian Bennet, Rian Burl and Sikandar Raza, they backed themselves to defend the target.

Blessing Muzarabani was the wrecker in chief as he along with Brad Evans picked up 7 wickets amongst them as Australia, despite a terrific innings from Matt Renshaw, folded for 146 giving  Zimbabwe another historic win over the Aussies, which eventually knocked them out…

2 : Sensational Samson + Breathtaking Bethell = Another Wankehde classic. 

The Wankhede Stadium has been a living embodiment of India’s most iconic home ground. The moment that it got its new look in 2011, it has produced one great game after another. Be it those numerous IPL games or the international ones. With the ICC t20 world cup returning to India, another marquee game was due. And it arrived. A semi final. India. England. And a capacity crowd. 

Put into bat first by Harry Brook, India on the back of Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Verma and Ishan Kishan scored a gargantuan 253, the highest score in a knockout game of the world cup. India thought they had one foot in the final when England were reduced to 95/4, but that's where the actual drama started. Jacob Bethell almost made India see hell in front of a jam packed Wankhede as he scored one of the most riveting 100 in a run chase. 

But he forgot, India has Jasprit Bumrah, who also produced one of the most sensational 18th over giving just 6 runs. The equation, from 45 of 18 was down to 30 of 6 and Bethell’s fuel eventually ran out, giving India a win for the ages. 

1 : Two teams, Two super overs. One MAGNIFICENT game of cricket. 

South Africa had the best run in the T20 world cup this year. But their most riveting game of cricket came in the group stage game against Afghanistan.  Put into bat by the Afghans, South Africa scored a terrific 187/6 riding on Ryan Rickelton, Quinton De Kock and Dewald Brewis’ cameos.  Azmatullah Omarzai picked up 3/41, but Afghanistan had a task on their hands. 

And Rahmanullah Gurbaaz lived up to the task. A rip roaring 87 almost got them to the finish line before Fazal Haq Farooqi made a schoolboy error to send the game into a super over. Batting first, Afghanistan made 22 of the super over and Farooqi made amends by dismissing Dewald Brevis. But Tristian Stubbs struck an important six to send the game into the second super over. 

Miller and Stubbs then struck 24 again and Afghanistan needed another Gurbaaz special to win a special game. And then Gurbaaz hit Keshav Maharaj for 3 consecutive sixes only to be dismissed of the last ball and literally bail South Africa out of jail.