India won the first ever World Twenty20 competition after beating Pakistan

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India are the current ICC World Twenty20 champions after they won the inaugural competition in South Africa in September 2007.

Inspired by the destructive hitting of Yuvraj Singh and the laser-guided bowling of RP Singh and Ifran Pathan, India entertained the enthusiastic crowds before beating neighbours Pakistan by five runs in an enthralling final.

The tournament kicked off with a thriller in Group A between the hosts and the West Indies where records tumbled.

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Chris Gayle became the first man to hit a T20 international century – his 117 contained ten sixes – but more staggering was that his innings came in a lost cause as a Herschelle Gibbs inspired South Africa coasted home with eight wickets in hand and two overs to spare.

It got worse for the West Indies as defeat to Bangladesh two days later confirmed their exit from the competition.

There was a monumental shock in the opening Group B game where Australia crashed to a five-wicket loss to Zimbabwe. After restricting Australia to 138 for nine, the underdogs almost fluffed their lines until Brendan Taylor maintained his composure to seal victory with a ball left.

England entered the fray 24 hours later, beating Zimbabwe before facing Australia in a game which would decide the group. Almost inevitably, Australia rose to the occasion, blasting England out for 135 before knocking off the required runs in less than 15 overs. Both, however, progressed to the next round.

It took just two overs to realise Kenya would be the whipping boys in Group C. Batting first against New Zealand, they lost their first four wickets with just one run on the board en route to a nine-wicket defeat. They were then mauled by Sanath Jayasuriya two days later – he cracked 88 off just 44 balls as Sri Lanka won by 172 runs.

Sri Lanka beat the Black Caps in the group decider – Jayasuriya again impressing.

Jayasuriya was at his best as Sri Lanka won Group C © Getty Images

Group D was altogether tighter and it required a bowl-out in the final game between India and Pakistan to discover the winner - Virender Sehweg, Harbhajan Singh and Robin Uthappa all hit to send the Indian fans delirious.

Yuvraj Singh was the name on everyone’s lips during the Super Eight stage as Stuart Broad who was dragged into the history books against his will.

With England booked on an early plane home after losing to South Africa and New Zealand, their hopes of a happy ending went up in smoke when Singh smashed Broad for six sixes in the 19th over. He finished unbeaten on 58 from just 16 balls – his 12-ball fifty believed to be the fastest in all senior cricket.

England made a valiant attempt at chasing 219 for victory but they finished 19 runs short despite a series of entertaining cameos. Singh’s hitting ultimately proved the difference.

India progressed from the group to the semi-finals, along with New Zealand, where they joined Pakistan, unbeaten in the Super Eight stage, and Australia.

The two semi-finals could not have been more different. While Pakistan eased past a mis-firing New Zealand, India and Australia served up a masterpiece which was in the balance until the last over.

With Singh at his imperious best – one maximum during his rapid 70 travelled 119m – India set their opponents 189 to win.

The powerful pair of Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds kept Australia ahead of the run-rate for 18 overs until India’s bowlers eventually applied a python-like grip to seal a place in the final.

Misbah-ul-Haq scoops to short fine leg to hand victory to India © Getty Images

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The climax of the tournament matched the excitement and tension of the previous rounds as India and Pakistan produced a nerve-jangling final full of incident.

After Umar Gul had applied the brakes following Guatam Gambhir’s fine 75 at the top of the order, Pakistan would have been confident chasing 158 for victory, particularly after Imran Nazir’s lightning 33 off just 14 balls.

But his run-out from Uthappa’s splendid throw changed the complexion of the game and from being 53 for two, Pakistan were suddenly 77 for six.

Pakistan’s hopes rested on Misbah-ul-Haq’s shoulders but as he showed in the group game with India and against Australia, pressure didn’t faze him.

He bade his time before hammering Harbhajan for three sixes, a succession of shots which brought the equation to 20 needed off 12 balls which then became 13 off the final over.

The victory line was in sight when Joginder Sharma bowled a wide and Misbah cracked him for six, but the batsman lost his head at the vital moment, chipping to short fine leg to hand India a five run win.