T20I action galore as Deepak Chahar sets new world-record while Blackcaps' super over agony continues

Here, we review some of the key highlights across the two continents.

England inflict Super Over agony once again on Blackcaps

The wounds of being denied a maiden World Cup title on the basis of a boundary count were still fresh for the Blackcaps when they welcomed England for a five-match series.

As if that agony wasn’t enough, the Englishmen rubbed further salt in those wounds by clinching the series via a Super Over once again.

With the series level at 2-2, it all came down to a Super Over shootout at Eden Park where England plundered 17 runs before Chris Jordan bowled superbly to leave the Kiwis short.

From the Lord’s final loss to a Rugby World Cup semi-final defeat and now this – it really hasn’t been a good sporting year for New Zealand against the English!

Malan, Morgan plunder record total for England

Before the cliffhanger at Eden Park, England helped themselves to their highest-ever T20 total in the penultimate game in Napier before levelling the series.

The visitors amassed a mammoth 241-3 after batting first in the must-win game.

Dawid Malan recorded his maiden T20I ton while skipper Eoin Morgan registered a personal best of 91.

76 of England’s runs came in the last four overs which is the most by any team in the same period.

24 sixes were tonked in total by both sides in the high-scoring encounter with England’s batsmen alone accounting for 14 of them.

Australia close in on No1 ranking after unbeaten 2019

The Aussies were absolutely ruthless in all departments as they dispatched the No1 ranked Pakistan by 2-0. It was the third bilateral series win on the trot for Aaron Finch’s men who had previous attacking victories over India and Sri Lanka.

With the comprehensive turnover of Pakistan, Australia have ended 2019 undefeated in the T20 format and moved to within one point of the No1 ranking.

It has been quite the turnaround in T20 fortunes for Australia who have looked absolutely woeful at times previously in the format.

With the World Cup set to take place in Australia next year, it is hard not to see them mount a serious charge towards a maiden title.

Bangladesh record maiden T20I victory over India

Bangladesh arrived in India with no wins to show for their previous eight T20 meetings against India. And their hands were further tied with a suspension to their star all-rounder and skipper Shakib Al Hasan.

Despite also missing the services of veteran opener Tamim Iqbal, it didn’t take too long for Bangladesh to break that duck as they stunned India in the series opener in New Delhi.

Having restricted India to 148-6, Bangladesh chased down the target with three deliveries and seven wickets to spare, while also burying the ghosts of their Nidahas T20 tri-series final defeat to the same opponent in the process.

It was somewhat befitting that the historic result came in what was the 1000th T20 international clash.

Chahar with the mother of all bowling records

However, while records were being registered with nearly each passing days in the last two weeks, it was the one recorded by Deepak Chahar which stole the show.

The India seamer returned with astonishing figures of 7-6 in the final T20 in Nagpur on Sunday to help the hosts clinch the series.

The 27-year-old capped off his record-breaking feat by also becoming the first India bowler to claim a T20I hat-trick.

His 7-6 are now the best-ever bowling figures in T20Is, bettering the previous best of 8-6 set by former Sri Lanka mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis.