The inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup took place in 2007 and it was <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a> who became the first-ever champions. It has been over 15 years since the start of the T20 carnival and one has witnessed some heart-throbbing performances at the marquee tournament. Many cricketers have shown their mettle on the grandest stage of them all and written their names in the history books.

Amid the suspense, joy, and excitement the competition has brought, there have been times when certain incidents that occurred during the global tournament have attracted a lot of attention and become a huge topic of debate. Let us look at the top controversies in the T20 World Cup history

5. Quinton de Kock refusing to take a knee in 2021

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/its-going-to-start-being-tough-for-players-quinton-de-kock-has-a-word-of-caution-for-multi-format-cricketers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quinton de Kock</a> is regarded as one of the best wicketkeeper-batters in white-ball cricket. He has grabbed a lot of headlines due to his spectacular performances. But at the 2021 World Cup, the veteran batter created a lot of buzz for a different reason altogether.

The ace-batter did not take part in a crucial match against the West Indies. Skipper Temba Bavuma at the toss mentioned that the wicketkeeper-batter had made himself unavailable “for personal reasons”. However, it was later learned that de Kock’s refusal to take a knee was the reason for his absence.

This decision fetched him a lot of criticism while a few experts also supported him. Later, the southpaw issued an apology for the same stating that he was ready to take a knee. The veteran batter’s statement read "I would like to start by saying sorry to my teammates, and the fans back home. I never ever wanted to make this a Quinton issue. I understand the importance of standing against racism, and I also understand the responsibility of us as players to set an example. If me taking a knee helps to educate others, and makes the lives of others better, I am more than happy to do so.”

4. David Warner hitting Mohammad Hafeez’s double bounce delivery for a six in 2021

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/something-id-be-open-to-pat-cummins-on-sharing-odi-captaincy-with-david-warner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner</a> put up a sensational show with the bat at the last year’s T20 World Cup. The veteran batter amassed 289 runs in seven games and played an instrumental role in Australia’s maiden T20 triumph. However, the opening batter found himself at the center of a controversy due to an incident in the Semi-Final against Pakistan.

Mohammad Hafeez came into the attack for the eighth over, but lost control on his very first delivery as the the ball bounced twice, almost rolling onto the surface before reaching Warner. The southpaw jumped out of his crease and slogged the innocuous delivery for a six, which was later deemed a no-ball by the umpire.

Warner had a choice to leave the ball but decided against it. Many experts criticized this decision of the ace batter questioning his sportsman spirit. On the contrary, many came in support of the dashing opener and praised his game awareness. The then-Australia coach after the Pakistan game said “Oh my gosh! It’s one of the best things I have ever seen in the game of cricket. I don’t think anyone would have the instincts to do that.”

3. Mohammed Shami facing online abuse after India’s loss to Pakistan in 2021

The Men in Blue started the 2021 World Cup campaign with a humiliating loss by ten wickets at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/shami-is-bowling-with-full-intensity-rohit-sharma-shares-update-on-india-pacer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Shami</a>, just like the other Indian bowlers, appeared toothless in the middle as he conceded 43 runs for no wickets in 3.5 overs.

It was India’s first defeat to Pakistan at the ICC tournaments and some of the netizens lashed out at the Indian players for their poor show. The majority of the trolls were aimed at Shami who was the only Muslim player in the team. His Instagram account was flooded with messages stating that he was a “traitor” and should be removed from the team.

However, the majority of the cricket fraternity came in support of the Indian seamer. Even many politicians and Bollywood celebrities extended their support to Shami. The veteran Indian pacer in reaction to the online abuse said, “We know what we are, we don’t need to say what India means to us because we represent the country and we fight for our country. So we don’t need to prove anything to anyone by saying or reacting to such trolls."

2. Andrew Symonds sent home in 2009

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/a-look-at-andrew-symonds-prominent-records-and-achievements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Symonds</a> was a giant of a player in the white-ball format. He was known for his destructive hitting and on his day could take any bowling attack to the cleaners. However, his illustrious career was dogged by many off-field problems.

One such instance came on the eve of the 2009 T20 World Cup when the Australian all-rounder was sent home on the eve of the tournament following an indisciplined beahviour. He was known to have broken several team rules relating to alcohol and other issues.

The veteran cricketer was replaced by Cameron White in Australia's World Cup squad. The then Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland described the flamboyant cricketer’s act as&nbsp; "the final straw" and said that the ace-allrounder was stood down with regret because he broke several team rules. Sutherland said, "He broke a number of team related issues, which taken in isolation were not serious, but, in the scheme of history, they are enough for it to be the final straw."

1. Heated exchange between Yuvraj Singh and Andrew Flintoff in 2007

The six sixes that <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/he-made-those-runs-before-i-beat-him-up-yuvraj-singh-congratulates-shubhman-gill-in-his-trademark-style/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yuvraj Singh</a> struck at the 2007 T20 World Cup have been one of the most special moments in the history of Indian cricket The southpaw arrived at the crease when Robin Uthappa's wicket fell in the 17th over and took England bowlers to the cleaners.

It was in the 19th over of India's innings, when Yuvraj hammered Stuart Broad for 36 runs. However, before the carnage had taken place, there was an altercation between the Indian all-rounder and Andrew Flintoff. In the 18th over, when Yuvraj struck the England all-rounder for two boundaries, Flintoff said some words to the Indian batter. This angered the southpaw and it was Broad who had to face the wrath of the swashbuckling batter.

Yuvraj. in conversation with Kevin Pietersen on an Instagram live in 2020, narrated the incident that took place in 2007. The legendary Indian batter said “I think Freddie bowled two good balls and he bowled a yorker which I managed to hit for a boundary. Then he told me that this was a rash shot, he got pretty elaborative. He said I am gonna cut your throat off and then I replied saying you see this bat in my hand? You know where I am gonna hit you with this bat? I remember I was so angry when I hit Broadie for six sixes, I looked at Dimitri Mascarenas and then I looked at Freddie.

"Mascarenhas had hit me for five sixes during an ODI match so that is why I looked at him first. It was one of those games which we all will remember."

The inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup took place in 2007 and it was <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a> who became the first-ever champions. It has been over 15 years since the start of the T20 carnival and one has witnessed some heart-throbbing performances at the marquee tournament. Many cricketers have shown their mettle on the grandest stage of them all and written their names in the history books.
Amid the suspense, joy, and excitement the competition has brought, there have been times when certain incidents that occurred during the global tournament have attracted a lot of attention and become a huge topic of debate. Let us look at the top controversies in the T20 World Cup history
<h3>5. Quinton de Kock refusing to take a knee in 2021</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Quinton-de-Kock-6.jpg" width="640" height="400" alt layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/its-going-to-start-being-tough-for-players-quinton-de-kock-has-a-word-of-caution-for-multi-format-cricketers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quinton de Kock</a> is regarded as one of the best wicketkeeper-batters in white-ball cricket. He has grabbed a lot of headlines due to his spectacular performances. But at the 2021 World Cup, the veteran batter created a lot of buzz for a different reason altogether.
The ace-batter did not take part in a crucial match against the West Indies. Skipper Temba Bavuma at the toss mentioned that the wicketkeeper-batter had made himself unavailable “for personal reasons”. However, it was later learned that de Kock’s refusal to take a knee was the reason for his absence.
This decision fetched him a lot of criticism while a few experts also supported him. Later, the southpaw issued an apology for the same stating that he was ready to take a knee. The veteran batter’s statement read "I would like to start by saying sorry to my teammates, and the fans back home. I never ever wanted to make this a Quinton issue. I understand the importance of standing against racism, and I also understand the responsibility of us as players to set an example. If me taking a knee helps to educate others, and makes the lives of others better, I am more than happy to do so.”

<h3>4. David Warner hitting Mohammad Hafeez’s double bounce delivery for a six in 2021</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1666247470211_Warner.jpeg" width="640" height="400" alt layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/something-id-be-open-to-pat-cummins-on-sharing-odi-captaincy-with-david-warner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner</a> put up a sensational show with the bat at the last year’s T20 World Cup. The veteran batter amassed 289 runs in seven games and played an instrumental role in Australia’s maiden T20 triumph. However, the opening batter found himself at the center of a controversy due to an incident in the Semi-Final against Pakistan.
Mohammad Hafeez came into the attack for the eighth over, but lost control on his very first delivery as the the ball bounced twice, almost rolling onto the surface before reaching Warner. The southpaw jumped out of his crease and slogged the innocuous delivery for a six, which was later deemed a no-ball by the umpire.
Warner had a choice to leave the ball but decided against it. Many experts criticized this decision of the ace batter questioning his sportsman spirit. On the contrary, many came in support of the dashing opener and praised his game awareness. The then-Australia coach after the Pakistan game said “Oh my gosh! It’s one of the best things I have ever seen in the game of cricket. I don’t think anyone would have the instincts to do that.”

<h3>3. Mohammed Shami facing online abuse after India’s loss to Pakistan in 2021</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-and-Mohammed-Shami.jpg" width="640" height="400" alt layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
The Men in Blue started the 2021 World Cup campaign with a humiliating loss by ten wickets at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/shami-is-bowling-with-full-intensity-rohit-sharma-shares-update-on-india-pacer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Shami</a>, just like the other Indian bowlers, appeared toothless in the middle as he conceded 43 runs for no wickets in 3.5 overs.
It was India’s first defeat to Pakistan at the ICC tournaments and some of the netizens lashed out at the Indian players for their poor show. The majority of the trolls were aimed at Shami who was the only Muslim player in the team. His Instagram account was flooded with messages stating that he was a “traitor” and should be removed from the team.
However, the majority of the cricket fraternity came in support of the Indian seamer. Even many politicians and Bollywood celebrities extended their support to Shami. The veteran Indian pacer in reaction to the online abuse said, “We know what we are, we don’t need to say what India means to us because we represent the country and we fight for our country. So we don’t need to prove anything to anyone by saying or reacting to such trolls."

<h3>2. Andrew Symonds sent home in 2009</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Andrew-Symonds-in-Australia.jpg" width="640" height="400" alt layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/a-look-at-andrew-symonds-prominent-records-and-achievements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Symonds</a> was a giant of a player in the white-ball format. He was known for his destructive hitting and on his day could take any bowling attack to the cleaners. However, his illustrious career was dogged by many off-field problems.
One such instance came on the eve of the 2009 T20 World Cup when the Australian all-rounder was sent home on the eve of the tournament following an indisciplined beahviour. He was known to have broken several team rules relating to alcohol and other issues.
The veteran cricketer was replaced by Cameron White in Australia's World Cup squad. The then Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland described the flamboyant cricketer’s act as&nbsp; "the final straw" and said that the ace-allrounder was stood down with regret because he broke several team rules. Sutherland said, "He broke a number of team related issues, which taken in isolation were not serious, but, in the scheme of history, they are enough for it to be the final straw."

<h3>1. Heated exchange between Yuvraj Singh and Andrew Flintoff in 2007</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1666247540117_Yuvraj-Filntoff.jpeg" width="640" height="400" alt layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
The six sixes that <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/he-made-those-runs-before-i-beat-him-up-yuvraj-singh-congratulates-shubhman-gill-in-his-trademark-style/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yuvraj Singh</a> struck at the 2007 T20 World Cup have been one of the most special moments in the history of Indian cricket The southpaw arrived at the crease when Robin Uthappa's wicket fell in the 17th over and took England bowlers to the cleaners.
It was in the 19th over of India's innings, when Yuvraj hammered Stuart Broad for 36 runs. However, before the carnage had taken place, there was an altercation between the Indian all-rounder and Andrew Flintoff. In the 18th over, when Yuvraj struck the England all-rounder for two boundaries, Flintoff said some words to the Indian batter. This angered the southpaw and it was Broad who had to face the wrath of the swashbuckling batter.
Yuvraj. in conversation with Kevin Pietersen on an Instagram live in 2020, narrated the incident that took place in 2007. The legendary Indian batter said “I think Freddie bowled two good balls and he bowled a yorker which I managed to hit for a boundary. Then he told me that this was a rash shot, he got pretty elaborative. He said I am gonna cut your throat off and then I replied saying you see this bat in my hand? You know where I am gonna hit you with this bat? I remember I was so angry when I hit Broadie for six sixes, I looked at Dimitri Mascarenas and then I looked at Freddie.
"Mascarenhas had hit me for five sixes during an ODI match so that is why I looked at him first. It was one of those games which we all will remember."

The inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup took place in 2007 and it was <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a> who became the first-ever champions. It has been over 15 years since the start of the T20 carnival and one has witnessed some heart-throbbing performances at the marquee tournament. Many cricketers have shown their mettle on the grandest stage of them all and written their names in the history books.
Amid the suspense, joy, and excitement the competition has brought, there have been times when certain incidents that occurred during the global tournament have attracted a lot of attention and become a huge topic of debate. Let us look at the top controversies in the T20 World Cup history
<h3>5. Quinton de Kock refusing to take a knee in 2021</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Quinton-de-Kock-6.jpg" width="640" height="400" alt="">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/its-going-to-start-being-tough-for-players-quinton-de-kock-has-a-word-of-caution-for-multi-format-cricketers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quinton de Kock</a> is regarded as one of the best wicketkeeper-batters in white-ball cricket. He has grabbed a lot of headlines due to his spectacular performances. But at the 2021 World Cup, the veteran batter created a lot of buzz for a different reason altogether.
The ace-batter did not take part in a crucial match against the West Indies. Skipper Temba Bavuma at the toss mentioned that the wicketkeeper-batter had made himself unavailable “for personal reasons”. However, it was later learned that de Kock’s refusal to take a knee was the reason for his absence.
This decision fetched him a lot of criticism while a few experts also supported him. Later, the southpaw issued an apology for the same stating that he was ready to take a knee. The veteran batter’s statement read "I would like to start by saying sorry to my teammates, and the fans back home. I never ever wanted to make this a Quinton issue. I understand the importance of standing against racism, and I also understand the responsibility of us as players to set an example. If me taking a knee helps to educate others, and makes the lives of others better, I am more than happy to do so.”

<h3>4. David Warner hitting Mohammad Hafeez’s double bounce delivery for a six in 2021</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1666247470211_Warner.jpeg" width="640" height="400" alt="">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/something-id-be-open-to-pat-cummins-on-sharing-odi-captaincy-with-david-warner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Warner</a> put up a sensational show with the bat at the last year’s T20 World Cup. The veteran batter amassed 289 runs in seven games and played an instrumental role in Australia’s maiden T20 triumph. However, the opening batter found himself at the center of a controversy due to an incident in the Semi-Final against Pakistan.
Mohammad Hafeez came into the attack for the eighth over, but lost control on his very first delivery as the the ball bounced twice, almost rolling onto the surface before reaching Warner. The southpaw jumped out of his crease and slogged the innocuous delivery for a six, which was later deemed a no-ball by the umpire.
Warner had a choice to leave the ball but decided against it. Many experts criticized this decision of the ace batter questioning his sportsman spirit. On the contrary, many came in support of the dashing opener and praised his game awareness. The then-Australia coach after the Pakistan game said “Oh my gosh! It’s one of the best things I have ever seen in the game of cricket. I don’t think anyone would have the instincts to do that.”

<h3>3. Mohammed Shami facing online abuse after India’s loss to Pakistan in 2021</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-and-Mohammed-Shami.jpg" width="640" height="400" alt="">
The Men in Blue started the 2021 World Cup campaign with a humiliating loss by ten wickets at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan. <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/shami-is-bowling-with-full-intensity-rohit-sharma-shares-update-on-india-pacer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammed Shami</a>, just like the other Indian bowlers, appeared toothless in the middle as he conceded 43 runs for no wickets in 3.5 overs.
It was India’s first defeat to Pakistan at the ICC tournaments and some of the netizens lashed out at the Indian players for their poor show. The majority of the trolls were aimed at Shami who was the only Muslim player in the team. His Instagram account was flooded with messages stating that he was a “traitor” and should be removed from the team.
However, the majority of the cricket fraternity came in support of the Indian seamer. Even many politicians and Bollywood celebrities extended their support to Shami. The veteran Indian pacer in reaction to the online abuse said, “We know what we are, we don’t need to say what India means to us because we represent the country and we fight for our country. So we don’t need to prove anything to anyone by saying or reacting to such trolls."

<h3>2. Andrew Symonds sent home in 2009</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Andrew-Symonds-in-Australia.jpg" width="640" height="400" alt="">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/a-look-at-andrew-symonds-prominent-records-and-achievements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Symonds</a> was a giant of a player in the white-ball format. He was known for his destructive hitting and on his day could take any bowling attack to the cleaners. However, his illustrious career was dogged by many off-field problems.
One such instance came on the eve of the 2009 T20 World Cup when the Australian all-rounder was sent home on the eve of the tournament following an indisciplined beahviour. He was known to have broken several team rules relating to alcohol and other issues.
The veteran cricketer was replaced by Cameron White in Australia's World Cup squad. The then Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland described the flamboyant cricketer’s act as&nbsp; "the final straw" and said that the ace-allrounder was stood down with regret because he broke several team rules. Sutherland said, "He broke a number of team related issues, which taken in isolation were not serious, but, in the scheme of history, they are enough for it to be the final straw."

<h3>1. Heated exchange between Yuvraj Singh and Andrew Flintoff in 2007</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1666247540117_Yuvraj-Filntoff.jpeg" width="640" height="400" alt="">
The six sixes that <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/he-made-those-runs-before-i-beat-him-up-yuvraj-singh-congratulates-shubhman-gill-in-his-trademark-style/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yuvraj Singh</a> struck at the 2007 T20 World Cup have been one of the most special moments in the history of Indian cricket The southpaw arrived at the crease when Robin Uthappa's wicket fell in the 17th over and took England bowlers to the cleaners.
It was in the 19th over of India's innings, when Yuvraj hammered Stuart Broad for 36 runs. However, before the carnage had taken place, there was an altercation between the Indian all-rounder and Andrew Flintoff. In the 18th over, when Yuvraj struck the England all-rounder for two boundaries, Flintoff said some words to the Indian batter. This angered the southpaw and it was Broad who had to face the wrath of the swashbuckling batter.
Yuvraj. in conversation with Kevin Pietersen on an Instagram live in 2020, narrated the incident that took place in 2007. The legendary Indian batter said “I think Freddie bowled two good balls and he bowled a yorker which I managed to hit for a boundary. Then he told me that this was a rash shot, he got pretty elaborative. He said I am gonna cut your throat off and then I replied saying you see this bat in my hand? You know where I am gonna hit you with this bat? I remember I was so angry when I hit Broadie for six sixes, I looked at Dimitri Mascarenas and then I looked at Freddie.
"Mascarenhas had hit me for five sixes during an ODI match so that is why I looked at him first. It was one of those games which we all will remember."

The inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup took place in 2007 and it was India who became the first-ever champions. It has been over 15 years since the start of the T20 carnival and one has witnessed

T20 World Cup: 5 biggest controversies in tournament history

There have been times when certain incidents occurred during the global tournament have attracted a lot of attention.

Here we look at the top controversies in the history of the T20 World Cup.