A look at the five best innings of the AFP Sport tournament so far:
Kohli Masterclass
He came, he saw, he conquered. Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 82 to guide India to a memorable win over arch-rivals Pakistan at the MCG with over 90,000 fans.
Chasing 160 in their opening match, “King Kohli” guided the team into a dramatic final over with the final ball lifting India 31-4.
His two sixes off Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf at the end of the 19th over and a 113-run partnership with Hardik Pandya were the keys to the win, and the innings has already been dubbed one for the ages.
Stoinis Blitz
Holders Australia were stunned by New Zealand in the first match of the tournament and stumbled in their chase against Sri Lanka. Marcus Stoinis then played an unbeaten 59 off 18 balls in his hometown of Perth.
The big-hitter demolished the opposition attack with four fours and five sixes and scored the fastest T20 fifty by an Australian in 17 balls as the hosts won with 21 balls to spare.
Captain Aaron Finch had the best seat at home at the non-striker end as he stood with Stoinis in an unbeaten stand of 69, calling it a “special innings”.
Balbirni Special
Giant-killers Ireland knocked out two-time champions West Indies out of the tournament in the first round and captain Andy Balbirnie ensured they beat another big gun in England.
Balbirnie smashed 62 off 47 balls to bowl his team out for 157 as he smashed Chris Woakes for two fours and a six in the same over.
The knock inspired Ireland’s bowlers, who maintained England at 105-5 when the rain stopped. Ireland won by DLS method.
Former England captain Michael Atherton on Sky Sports said “the game was won” when Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker put on an 82-run stand for the second wicket.
rosau eruption
Riley Rousseau was a man on a mission after scoring his first century of the tournament, scoring 109 off 56 balls, after South Africa chose to bat against Bangladesh.
South Africa were forced to share points with Zimbabwe in their opening game, which was washed out by rain, and Rossouw made sure the team left nothing to chance in their second.
He hit seven fours and eight sixes to destroy Bangladesh’s attack as South Africa posted 205-5 and won by 104 runs.
It was Rossouw’s second consecutive century, but he said that he “never thought of[getting a century]in a million years”.
Philips Power
Glenn Phillips came out to bat with New Zealand at 11-2 against Sri Lanka, but scored his second century of this edition in 61 balls to register a big win.
His innings so far reflected New Zealand’s dominance in the Super 12, as he hit 10 fours and four sixes in his innings of 104. The Black Caps firmly maintained their top spot in the tough Group 1.
Phillips single-handedly took the team’s total to 167–7, an uncertain 15–3. He called the innings “absolutely indescribable”.
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