The story of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup so far

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Since its inception in 2007, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has revolutionised cricket, elevating the sport to even greater heights. The inaugural edition, which culminated with the epic India-Pakistan showdown in the final, set the ball rolling on a tournament that has further grown cricket.

With 12 teams having featured in that first edition, the competition has grown to host 20 teams from across the globe as we brace for the 10th edition in India and Sri Lanka, starting February 7. There have been six different winners to hold the coveted trophy so far, with the West Indies, England and reigning champions India the only teams to have claimed the title twice.

As anticipation builds for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, we take a brief look back at how the tournament has evolved into one of cricket’s most compelling global events.

A new form of cricket

T20 cricket was conceived at the turn of the 21st century as a way to attract new audiences to the sport. First introduced at the professional level in England back in 2003, the format quickly generated wide-spread interest around the world.

The launch of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007 raised the ceiling for the sport from the get-go.

Legendary West Indies batter, Chris Gayle ensured the tournament began with a statement, striking the very first ball for four before going on to score a breathtaking 117 against hosts South Africa, marking the first century in T20Is.

The inaugural edition delivered drama in abundance. Be it a bowl-out to decide the fate of the India-Pakistan contest, Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes in an over, or Misbah-ul-Haq’s infamous scoop in the final.

India were crowned the maiden champions and the final set the tone for the drama and unpredictability that would come to define the tournament, as well as the format.

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Blockbuster moments

With star all-rounder Shahid Afridi putting in an inspired performance, Pakistan went one step further and lifted the trophy in 2009. The competition had kickstarted with a spirited Netherlands side defeating hosts England to register one of the biggest upsets in the sport.

A year later, England bounced back by clinching their maiden title. Kevin Pietersen, who scored 248 runs in six innings, was named the Player of the Tournament.

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West Indies became the fourth team to lift the trophy in 2012. Marlon Samuels (78) and Sunil Narine (3-9) led the way in the final, as the Windies edged past hosts Sri Lanka by 36 runs.

In 2014, with the tournament hosted Bangladesh, Sri Lanka locked horns with Asian rivals India in the summit clash. The Lankans emerged victorious over the former champions by six wickets to claim their first Men’s T20 World Cup title.

It marked a fitting farewell for Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who retired from the format following the victory.

West Indies became the first team to win multiple titles when they reclaimed the silverware in 2016.

After knocking out hosts India in the semi-final, the Windies registered a four-wicket win over England in the final in Kolkata. Carlos Brathwaite’s blitz of four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes in the final over took them across the finish line, etching it place in cricketing history.

A new winner emerged in 2021 as the tournament travelled to UAE and Oman, with Australia stamping their authority on the format. David Warner and Mitchell Marsh led the first-time winners to an eight-wicket win over New Zealand in the final.

England created history in 2022, by becoming the only team to hold the Men’s Cricket World Cup and T20 World Cup titles at the same time. All-rounder Sam Curran won the Player of the Match in the final and the Player of the Tournament as England defeated Pakistan to become winners.

The Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 was the first time an ICC tournament was hosted in the USA. Co-hosted by the West Indies, the ninth edition of the tournament saw India a 17-year wait to reclaim the title.

New horizons

The 2024 edition attained new heights with 20 teams participating including USA, Canada and Uganda making their first appearance.

Not daunted by the big stage, the Americans made the most of the opportunity. USA sealed a historic win over Pakistan in the group stage and progressed through to the Super 8. It was a breakthrough tournament for Afghanistan as well, who made the semi-finals of an ICC tournament for the very first time.

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However, the 2024 edition belonged to champions India and their stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom retired from T20Is following a memorable win. While the Indian skipper finished as India’s leading-run getter, Kohli starred with the bat in the final, top-scoring with a valuable 76.

India’s bowling, led by the incomparable Jasprit Bumrah, guided them to a seven-run win over the Proteas. Emotional scenes ensued in Barbados as India bid farewell to their greats.

In 2026, the Men’s T20 World Cup continues to elevate the sport, and is set to welcome a new team to the fold. Italy are all set to make their maiden appearance on the grand stage come the latest chapter of the tournament, which will kickstart from February 7.

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