The ICC T20 World Cup is the international championship of Twenty20 International cricket. Organized by cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), the tournament consists of 16 teams, comprising the top ten ICC full members and six other associate or affiliate members chosen through the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier. The event is generally held every two years.
The first T20 World Cup tournament was held in 2007 in South Africa. As of 2022, there have been seven editions of the T20 World Cup. The upcoming eighth edition is scheduled to be held in Australia in 2022 from October 16 to November 13.
Quick Answers
There have been 7 T20 World Cup tournaments held so far. The upcoming 2022 T20 World Cup will be the 8th edition.
The T20 World Cup tournaments held so far are:
- 2007 T20 World Cup – South Africa
- 2009 T20 World Cup – England
- 2010 T20 World Cup – West Indies
- 2012 T20 World Cup – Sri Lanka
- 2014 T20 World Cup – Bangladesh
- 2016 T20 World Cup – India
- 2021 T20 World Cup – UAE and Oman
The 8th T20 World Cup will be held in Australia in 2022.
So in summary, there have been 7 editions of the T20 World Cup so far, with the 8th edition coming up in 2022.
History and Overview of T20 World Cup Tournaments
Here is an overview of all the T20 World Cup tournaments held so far:
2007 T20 World Cup
- Host nation: South Africa
- Dates: 11–24 September 2007
- Number of teams: 12
- Winner: India
- Runner-up: Pakistan
- Player of the series: Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
The inaugural World Twenty20 was played in South Africa in 2007 with the participation of 12 teams. India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan in the final to become the first T20 world champions.
2009 T20 World Cup
- Host nation: England
- Dates: 5–21 June 2009
- Number of teams: 12
- Winner: Pakistan
- Runner-up: Sri Lanka
- Player of the series: Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
The 2009 edition was held in England where Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets. This was Pakistan’s first major ICC trophy since the 1992 World Cup.
2010 T20 World Cup
- Host nation: West Indies
- Dates: 30 April – 16 May 2010
- Number of teams: 12
- Winner: England
- Runner-up: Australia
- Player of the series: Kevin Pietersen (England)
Played in the Caribbean, England defeated Australia in the final by 7 wickets to claim their first ICC world title.
2012 T20 World Cup
- Host nation: Sri Lanka
- Dates: 18 September – 7 October 2012
- Number of teams: 12
- Winner: West Indies
- Runner-up: Sri Lanka
- Player of the series: Shane Watson (Australia)
West Indies were crowned T20 world champions for the first time after beating the hosts Sri Lanka in the final. This was the first T20 WC with 16 teams participating in the qualifiers.
2014 T20 World Cup
- Host nation: Bangladesh
- Dates: 16 March – 6 April 2014
- Number of teams: 16
- Winner: Sri Lanka
- Runner-up: India
- Player of the series: Virat Kohli (India)
For the first time, Bangladesh hosted a major ICC event. Sri Lanka clinched their maiden T20 World Cup title defeating India in the final.
2016 T20 World Cup
- Host nation: India
- Dates: 8 March – 3 April 2016
- Number of teams: 16
- Winner: West Indies
- Runner-up: England
- Player of the series: Virat Kohli (India)
India hosted the mega event for the first time. In a dramatic final, West Indies beat England via the DL method to become 2-time champions.
2021 T20 World Cup
- Host nations: United Arab Emirates and Oman
- Dates: 17 October – 14 November 2021
- Number of teams: 16
- Winner: Australia
- Runner-up: New Zealand
- Player of the series: David Warner (Australia)
Originally planned to be held in Australia in 2020, this edition was postponed due to Covid-19 and shifted to the UAE and Oman. Australia won their maiden T20 WC title defeating New Zealand in the final.
Upcoming editions
The next edition of the T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Australia from 16 October to 13 November 2022.
The 2024 T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the West Indies and United States. The 2026 T20 World Cup will be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Key Facts and Figures
- Number of T20 World Cups so far: 7
- First T20 World Cup: 2007 in South Africa
- Most successful team: West Indies (2 titles in 2012 and 2016)
- Number of teams: 16 (increased from 12 after the 2012 edition)
- Most player of the series awards: Virat Kohli (2 in 2014 and 2016)
- Highest team total: 260/6 by Sri Lanka vs Kenya in 2007
- Lowest team total: 39 all out by Netherlands vs Sri Lanka in 2014
- Most runs in a tournament: 317 by Virat Kohli in 2014
- Most wickets in a tournament: 15 by Shahid Afridi in 2007
Performance of Teams
Here is a look at the performance of various teams over the years in T20 World Cup tournaments:
| Team | Titles | Runners-up | Semifinals | Best Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indies | 2 | – | 1 | Winners (2012, 2016) |
| India | 1 | 1 | 1 | Winners (2007) |
| Pakistan | 1 | – | 3 | Winners (2009) |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 1 | – | Winners (2014) |
| Australia | 1 | – | 1 | Winners (2021) |
| England | 1 | 1 | – | Winners (2010) |
Among the prominent Test playing nations, South Africa is yet to reach the final of a T20 World Cup. Their best finish is reaching the semifinals in 2009 and 2014.
Among the associate nations, Afghanistan has been the most successful with 3 Super 10 appearances in 2010, 2012 and 2016.
Conclusion
The T20 format has become hugely popular and the World Cup is the pinnacle event in T20I cricket. So far, 7 editions of the tournament have taken place starting from 2007. The upcoming 2022 edition will be the 8th T20 World Cup.
With the growth of T20 leagues across the world, fans can expect more thrilling contests when the top nations clash for the coveted title. West Indies and India have been the most successful teams so far with 2 titles each. Australia are the defending champions. It remains to be seen which team will lift the trophy when the 8th T20 World Cup culminates in November 2022.
