ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – What You Need To Know
The T20 World Cup is an international cricket tournament that takes place every two years. The leading Twenty20 cricket nations compete against each other, with the first competition having been held in 2007 and there are sixteen teams who are currently in action against each other when the action comes around.
From 2024 onwards, there will be twenty-four countries who are battling it out, with the tournament format starting with a preliminary round before we go into a Super 12 and then the play-offs to determine the overall winner.
The History of the T20 World Cup
The first edition of the T20 World Cup took place in 2007. South Africa were the host nation and twelve teams lined up to compete, with India and Pakistan the sides that made it through to the Johannesburg final. On that occasion, it was India who were able to land a victory by five runs to become the first ever winner of the Twenty20 World Cup.
Two years later, it was England’s turn to host the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, with the final being staged at Lord’s. Once again, Pakistan were able to reach the final and this time they were crowned champions when defeating Sri Lanka by a sum total of eight wickets.
We had two completely different finalists two years later when West Indies had the honour of hosting the 2010 T20 World Cup. England were able to propel themselves into the final of this twelve-team tournament and they clashed with old adversaries Australia. In the end, the former managed to achieve a commanding seven-wicket victory to get over the line.
The last T20 World Cup to feature only twelve teams in the finals was the 2012 renewal and this was held in Sri Lanka. Previous hosts West Indies were able to navigate their way through the business end of the competition and actually ended up meeting a host nation who crumbled under the weight of expectation in the final. They were all out for 101 and lost by thirty-six runs as a result.
In 2014, we had an expanded tournament to accommodate sixteen teams and it was Bangladesh who hosted the competition. The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka staged the final which saw Sri Lanka reach their third Twenty20 World Cup final and this time they were finally victorious when beating India by six wickets.
The T20 World Cup was held in India for the first time in 2016 although the hosts fell short in front of their own fans, it was the West Indies and England that ended up in an exciting final. The former were able to reclaim their crown and become the first-ever 2-time champions after enjoying a four-wicket triumph in Kolkata. Carlos Brathwaite hitting Ben Stokes for four sixes in a row in the final over, to win the match, is one of the most memorable moments in T20 World Cup history.
The more recent staging of the T20 World Cup took place in UAE and Oman in 2021, with COVID-19 having led to the competition being postponed until that year, although there was no staging of the 2018 World Cup due to various fixture scheduling.
Australia was able to claim their first-ever T20 World Cup title at the Dubai International Stadium and they beat New Zealand fairly comfortably by an eight-wicket margin.
The Aussies would go on to host the 2022 tournament, which saw England face off against Pakistan. For both teams, this was the third time they had made it to a World T20 final and both were looking to add to their one World T20 title. It was England who would take the spoils at the MCG in Melbourne.
England will be the holders of the title until 2024, where the World Cup will be hosted by the United States and the West Indies. The number of teams at the World Cup is set to be the largest ever, with 20 teams set to compete.
World T20 Champions
2007 – India
2009 – Pakistan
2010 – England
2012 – West Indies
2014 – Sri Lanka
2016 – West Indies
2021 – Australia
2022 – England
Records
Batting Records
Most Runs – Virat Kohli (India) – 1,141 – 2012-2022
Highest Score – Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) – 123 v Bangladesh – 2012
Most Hundreds – Chris Gayle (West Indies) – 2 – 2007-2021
Most Fifties – Virat Kohli (India) – 14 – 2012-2022
Most Sixes – Chris Gayle (West Indies) 63 – 2007-2021
Highest Partnership – Jos Buttler & Alex Hales (England) – 170* v India – 2022
Most Runs in a Tournament – Virat Kohli – 319 – 2014
Bowling Records
Most Wickets – Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 47 – 2007-2022
Best Bowling Figures – Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka) – 6/8 v Zimbabwe – 2012
Most Wickets in a Tournament – Wainindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) – 16 – 2021
Fielding Records
Most Dismissals (wicketkeeper) – MS Dhoni (India) – 32 – 2007-2016
Most Catches (fielder) – AB de Villiers (South Africa) – 23 – 2007-2016
Team Records
Highest Team Total – Sri Lanka – 260/6 v Kenya – 2007
Lowest Team Total – Netherlands – 39 v Sri Lanka – 2014
Largest Victory (by runs) – Sri Lanka – 172 runs v Kenya – 2007
Player of the Tournament
2007 – Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
2009 – Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
2010 – Kevin Pietersen (England)
2012 – Shane Watson (Australia)
2014 – Virat Kohli (India)
2016 – Virat Kohli (India)
2021 – David Warner (Australia)
2022 – Sam Curran (England)