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| 2012 ICC World Twenty20 | |
|---|---|
| Name | 2012 ICC World Twenty20 |
| Administrator | International Cricket Council |
| Cricket format | Twenty20 International |
| Tournament format | Group stage, Super Eight, Knockout |
| Host | Sri Lanka |
| From date | 18 September 2012 |
| To date | 7 October 2012 |
| Participants | 12 |
| Matches | 27 |
| Player of the series | Shane Watson |
| Most runs | Mahela Jayawardene (249) |
| Most wickets | Steven Finn (13) |
| Previous year | 2010 |
| Previous tournament | 2010 ICC World Twenty20 |
| Next year | 2014 |
| Next tournament | 2014 ICC World Twenty20 |
2012 ICC World Twenty20 was the fourth edition of the ICC World Twenty20, organized by the International Cricket Council and hosted by Sri Lanka. The tournament featured twelve national teams from the ICC full members and associates, played across several venues in Sri Lanka with a format combining group, Super Eight and knockout stages; the Australia won the title, defeating the England in the final. The event involved notable players including Mahela Jayawardene, Shane Watson, Kevin Pietersen, Chris Gayle, and Lasith Malinga, and had impacts on Twenty20 cricket tactics, franchise leagues such as the Indian Premier League, and international scheduling.
The tournament followed the previous 2010 edition staged in West Indies and was part of the ICC's global calendar alongside events like the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy. Host Sri Lanka qualified automatically as host alongside the nine other ICC Full Members including Australia, England, India, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Two spots were available via the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, won by Ireland and Afghanistan, after a qualification process that involved Netherlands, Scotland, United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong in prior regional events.
Matches were played at notable Sri Lankan venues including the R. Premadasa Stadium, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, and the Colombo Cricket Club Ground across cities such as Colombo, Kandy, and Hambantota. The ICC released a schedule that included group matches, the Super Eight round-robin pools, semifinals and final, with fixtures arranged to accommodate broadcast partners like ESPNcricinfo and networks including Star Sports and Sky Sports. The tournament calendar overlapped with bilateral series considerations involving teams from Asia and Europe and required coordination with national boards such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India, England and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia, and the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Each of the twelve participating national teams named squads featuring established internationals and rising players; squads announced by boards like the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia included stars such as Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, David Warner, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lasith Malinga, Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, and Shane Bond. Emerging talents from Ireland and Afghanistan such as Kevin O'Brien and Mohammad Nabi were part of their respective squads, while selection controversies involved board decisions by entities like the Zimbabwe Cricket administration and selectors for South Africa and New Zealand Cricket.
The initial group stage split teams into four groups where matches produced upsets and notable performances; groups included matchups between Australia and Sri Lanka, England and West Indies, India and Pakistan-adjacent fixtures in regional interest, and ties that invoked Duckworth–Lewis method-like considerations under wet conditions in Kandy and Colombo. Standout group performances came from batters such as Mahela Jayawardene and Chris Gayle and bowlers like Lasith Malinga and Steven Finn, with teams like Ireland and Afghanistan competing against established powers.
The Super Eights divided qualifiers into two pools leading to knockout semifinals involving teams such as Australia, England, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. Semifinal wins propelled finalists into a final played at R. Premadasa Stadium where Australia secured victory over England through a combination of innings by Mahela Jayawardene's contemporary opponents and all-round contributions by Shane Watson and bowlers like Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus. The knockout stage featured strategic captaincy from leaders including Michael Clarke, Alastair Cook, Mahela Jayawardene and Darren Sammy.
Match officials appointed by the International Cricket Council included umpires from panels such as Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Simon Taufel, Kumar Dharmasena and Asad Rauf, with referees and match commissioners overseeing adherence to the Laws of Cricket as applied to Twenty20 cricket. Playing conditions specified powerplay rules, fielding restrictions, and Super Over provisions for tied knockout matches, while anti-corruption arrangements involved the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit working with national boards like the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Sri Lanka Cricket to monitor integrity.
Statistical leaders included Mahela Jayawardene as top run-scorer and Steven Finn as leading wicket-taker; Shane Watson was named Player of the Tournament for all-round displays. The tournament produced records for highest individual scores, best bowling figures in an innings, and team totals, influencing rankings maintained by the ICC Player Rankings and historical compilations by ESPNcricinfo and Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Milestones involved captaincy records by Michael Clarke and batting landmarks by Kevin Pietersen and Chris Gayle, and the event affected selection metrics used by franchises in Indian Premier League and Big Bash League drafts.
The tournament's legacy encompassed tactical evolution in Twenty20 cricket, increased prominence for players in franchise circuits like the Indian Premier League and Caribbean Premier League, and developmental benefits for Sri Lanka infrastructure such as the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Outcomes influenced future ICC scheduling for the ICC World Twenty20 cycle and informed policy discussions within the International Cricket Council about tournament formats, associate participation, and revenue sharing among boards including the England and Wales Cricket Board and Board of Control for Cricket in India. The success of teams such as Australia and performances by Ireland and Afghanistan contributed to debates on globalizing cricket and expanding competitive pathways for emerging nations.
Category:ICC World Twenty20 tournaments Category:2012 in Sri Lankan sport