Remember the last time the T20WC was played in the Caribbean?

David Warner was a kid playing his first T20 World Cup

Somewhere between David Warner playing his first ICC event in the Caribbean in 2010 to Warner playing his last ICC event, also in the Caribbean, in 2024, we’ve all grown up. 14 years ago, Warner was a brash, eccentric and bullish 23-year-old playing his first ever T20WC. At that point, he was still being earmarked as ‘one for the future’. 

The then inexperienced left-hander announced himself at the biggest stage with a brutal 72 (42) against India, in which he smashed Ravindra Jadeja for a hat-trick of sixes. 

Speaking of Jadeja, he, too, was a 21-year-old who was trying to break through at the international level. 

Afghanistan played their first ever major ICC event

It’s 2024 and Afghanistan are being singled out as potential dark horses to make the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. It speaks volumes of their rise as a cricketing nation because the last T20WC in the Caribbean in 2010 was their first-ever ICC event. To go from rookie to semi-final contender in the span of 14 years is bonkers.

The Afghans, back then, were captained by Nawroz Mangal. Asghar Afghan (22 y/o), Mohammad Shahzad (23 y/o), Mohammad Nabi (25 y/o) and Shapoor Zadran (22 y/o) were all youngsters who were being touted as the future of Afghan cricket. That prophecy came true alright.

Afghanistan comprehensively lost both the matches they played in the tournament (vs India and South Africa) but this was the competition where it all began for the Afghans.

Mike Hussey went 6 6 4 6 vs Saeed Ajmal

14 years ago, Gros Islet was witness to one of the most iconic moments in cricket history.

With Australia needing 18 runs off the last over to make it to the final of the 2010 T20WC, with just three wickets in hand, Mike Hussey went 6 6 4 6 against peak Saeed Ajmal to seal an improbable victory for the Kangaroos. 

At that point, it was one of the greatest heists of all time. To be honest, it still is. Australia were dead and buried at 140/6, needing 53 off 3.3 overs. From this position, Hussey (60* off 24) pretty much single-handedly got the Aussies home with a ball to spare.

Kevin Pietersen was the Player of the Tournament 

Peak Kevin Pietersen, batting at number three, bullying opposition bowlers. You just had to be there. 

The 2010 WT20 in the Caribbean saw KP bag the Player of the Tournament award for smashing 248 runs at an average of 62.00 and strike rate of 137.8. He batted six times in the competition, and five of his scores were 73* (52), 53 (33), 47 (31), 42* (26) and 24 (20). 

This was a tournament in which one of the finest batters of this century was at his absolute best. 

Suresh Raina scored India’s first ever T20I hundred 

Speaking of great players at their peak, Suresh Raina also sizzled in 2010, the last time the T20WC was played in the Caribbean. 

Against South Africa in Gros Islet, in India’s second game of the T20WC, Raina became India’s first-ever T20 centurion and also the second-ever centurion in T20 World Cups.

A then 23-year-old Raina hammered 101 off just 60 balls against a South African attack that consisted of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel among others. 

Craig Kieswetter took the cricket world by storm

Prior to the 2010 WT20 in the Caribbean, 22-year-old Craig Kieswetter had not played a single T20I for England. Debuting directly in the World Cup, Kieswetter took the cricketing world by storm and propelled England all the way to the title.

With 222 runs, Kieswetter finished as the fourth-highest run-getter in the competition. But it is the bravado he brought to the table at the top of the order that made the rest of the world stop and take note.

After a handful of impactful knocks, Kieswetter ended up saving his best for the last and bagged the Player of the Match award in the final, smashing 63 runs off 49 balls in a low-scoring final.

Rohit Sharma was the last man standing against a rampant Aussie attack

The 2010 WT20 saw India get absolutely obliterated by Australia in Bridgetown, but even that game had a silver lining for the Men in Blue: the showing of Rohit Sharma.

On a bouncy surface, the Aussie pace quartet of Dirk Nannes, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait and Shane Watson were bullying the Indian batters with short balls and high pace. Every single Indian batter succumbed to the onslaught, except one.

Rohit stood tall, took the Aussies on and finished unbeaten on 79* in an innings in which no other Indian batter managed to pass the 15-run mark.

14 years on, it’s still right up there as one of the best ‘one man shows’ in T20I history. 

Also in the 2010 WT20 (as it was called) back then:

> Australia lost five wickets in one over in their group game against Pakistan in St Lucia. Mohammad Amir bowled the last over and the Aussies registered W W W W 0 W. There were two run outs in the over.

> New Zealand beat Pakistan by one run, with Ian Butler defending 11 off the last over.

> Chamara Kapugedara hit a last-ball six against Ashish Nehra to knock India out of the competition in the Super 8 stage.

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