A triumph for Australia and organisers

As fireworks lit up the Dubai sky after Sunday's Twenty20 World Cup final and shimmering confetti rained on the jubilant Australian team, the organisers heaved a huge sigh of relief at the safe and glitzy culmination of the showpiece event.

It was not until June that the Indian cricket board (BCCI) threw up their hand conceding it was not possible to host the 16-team tournament in the coronavirus-battered country.

The tournament found a new home in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while Oman was allotted some preliminary round matches, even though the BCCI retained its host status. After an action-packed month, Aaron Finch's Australia, written off after a horrendous build-up, emerged with their maiden 20-overs world title in their arms.

The tournament meandered initially until pre-tournament favourites India sent shockwaves with their premature exit in what was Virat Kohli's swansong as the team's 20-overs leader.

The competition sprang to life in the semi-finals when New Zealand stunned reigning 50-overs world champions England and Australia humbled Pakistan, the tournament's only unbeaten team until then.

England opener Jos Buttler and Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga set alight the tournament with their individual brilliance even if their team could not last the distance.

And few can match the bravery of Pakistan stumper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who spent two nights in intensive care with a chest infection and returned to top-score for his team in their semi-final loss to Australia.

India's Kohli also won hearts for his bold stance against religious discriminatio. His South Africa counterpart Tenda Bavuma also defined true leadership with his graceful handling of a crisis. Kane Williamson also led by example but New Zealand still finished runners-up. The only blot on an otherwise successful tournament was the conditions, especially in Dubai, which favoured the chasing teams and the toss had a major impact on the outcome.

The chasing team won every night game in Dubai and Finch admitted he had been lucky to win six out of seven tosses.