The ICC T20 World Cup is the international championship of Twenty20 International cricket. Organised by cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), the tournament currently consists of 16 teams, comprising the top ten teams from the rankings at the given deadline and six other teams chosen through the T20 World Cup Qualifier. The event has generally been held every two years.
Brief History
The first edition of the T20 World Cup was held in 2007 in South Africa, and was won by India. Since then, the tournament has been held in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. The upcoming tournaments are scheduled for 2020 in Australia and 2021 in India.
So far, five editions of the T20 World Cup have been held, with three different champions crowned. The West Indies won the tournament in 2012 and 2016, India won in 2007, Pakistan in 2009, and England in 2010.
Here is a quick overview of all the T20 World Cup winners so far:
| Year | Host | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | South Africa | India |
| 2009 | England | Pakistan |
| 2010 | West Indies | England |
| 2012 | Sri Lanka | West Indies |
| 2014 | Bangladesh | Sri Lanka |
| 2016 | India | West Indies |
Next, let’s take a more detailed look at each edition of the tournament so far.
2007 T20 World Cup
The inaugural ICC T20 World Cup was held in South Africa from 11 to 24 September 2007. A total of 12 teams participated in the first edition of the tournament. India defeated Pakistan in the final by 5 runs to become the first ever T20 world champions.
India was led by the young MS Dhoni and had a mixture of youth and experience in their squad with the likes of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh. They defeated Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa on their way to the final.
Pakistan had stars like Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Umar Gul. They beat Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand to set up a clash with arch-rivals India in the final.
In a thrilling final at Johannesburg, India scored 157/5 batting first with Gautam Gambhir top scoring with 75. Pakistan seemed on course for victory with Misbah-ul-Haq batting well but a dramatic final over from Joginder Sharma helped India win by 5 runs.
2007 Final
| India | 157/5 (20 overs) |
|---|---|
| Pakistan | 152/10 (19.3 overs) |
Man of the Match in Final: Irfan Pathan
Player of the Tournament: Shahid Afridi
2009 T20 World Cup
The 2009 T20 World Cup was held in England from 5 to 21 June 2009 with 12 teams participating. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in the final to lift the title.
Pakistan were led by Younis Khan and had match-winners like Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Umar Gul. They defeated New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa on their way to the final.
Sri Lanka had stars like Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan. They defeated West Indies, Ireland and West Indies before losing to Pakistan in the final.
In the final at Lord’s, Sri Lanka scored 138/6 batting first. Pakistan chased down the target with 8 balls to spare, thanks to an unbeaten 54 from Shahid Afridi.
2009 Final
| Sri Lanka | 138/6 (20 overs) |
|---|---|
| Pakistan | 139/2 (18.4 overs) |
Man of the Match in Final: Shahid Afridi
Player of the Tournament: Tillakaratne Dilshan
2010 T20 World Cup
The 2010 T20 World Cup was held in West Indies from 30 April to 16 May 2010. A total of 12 teams participated and England defeated Australia by 7 wickets in the final.
England were led by Paul Collingwood and had key players like Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Graeme Swann. They beat South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka on the way to the final.
Australia’s squad featured the likes of Shane Watson, David Warner, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson. They defeated Bangladesh, India and West Indies in the lead up to the final.
In the final at Bridgetown, Australia could only manage 147/6 batting first. England chased it down comfortably with 18 balls to spare thanks to Craig Kieswetter’s 63.
2010 Final
| Australia | 147/6 (20 overs) |
|---|---|
| England | 148/3 (17 overs) |
Man of the Match in Final: Craig Kieswetter
Player of the Tournament: Kevin Pietersen
2012 T20 World Cup
The 2012 T20 World Cup was held in Sri Lanka from 18 September to 7 October 2012. The West Indies beat hosts Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the final to win their first T20 World Cup title.
The West Indies squad was led by Darren Sammy and included stars like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard. They defeated Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan on the way to the final.
Sri Lanka had a strong team with Mahela Jayawardene as captain and players like Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga. They beat New Zealand, Pakistan and Australia before the final.
In the final at Colombo, West Indies scored 137/6 batting first. Marlon Samuels top scored with 78. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 101 in reply with Ravi Rampaul taking 3/31.
2012 Final
| West Indies | 137/6 (20 overs) |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 101 all out (18.4 overs) |
Man of the Match in Final: Marlon Samuels
Player of the Tournament: Shane Watson
2014 T20 World Cup
The fifth edition of the T20 World Cup was held in Bangladesh from 16 March to 6 April 2014. Sri Lanka defeated India by 6 wickets in the final to lift their first T20 World Cup trophy.
Sri Lanka had a strong team led by Lasith Malinga and containing the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Rangana Herath. They defeated South Africa, England and West Indies en route to the final.
India’s squad featured veterans like MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli. They beat Bangladesh, Pakistan and South Africa to qualify for the final.
In the final at Dhaka, India could only manage 130/4 batting first despite Virat Kohli’s 77. Sri Lanka chased it down comfortably with Sangakkara scoring an unbeaten 52.
2014 Final
| India | 130/4 (20 overs) |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 134/4 (17.5 overs) |
Man of the Match in Final: Kumar Sangakkara
Player of the Tournament: Virat Kohli
2016 T20 World Cup
The 2016 T20 World Cup was held in India from 8 March to 3 April 2016. The West Indies defeated England by 4 wickets in a thrilling final to lift their second T20 World Cup title.
The West Indies had stars like Darren Sammy, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Samuel Badree. They beat Sri Lanka, South Africa and India on the way to the final.
England had a strong team led by Eoin Morgan and containing Joe Root, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes. They defeated South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand to qualify for the final.
In an exciting final at Kolkata, England scored 155/9 batting first. West Indies seemed down and out at 11/3 before Carlos Brathwaite smashed 4 consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes to dramatically win with 2 balls to spare.
2016 Final
| England | 155/9 (20 overs) |
|---|---|
| West Indies | 161/6 (19.4 overs) |
Man of the Match in Final: Carlos Brathwaite
Player of the Tournament: Virat Kohli
Key Facts and Figures
Here are some key facts and figures from the history of the T20 World Cup so far:
- Number of editions held: 6
- Number of participating teams: 12 in earlier editions, 16 from 2016 onwards
- Most successful team: West Indies (2 titles)
- Most appearances in final: Sri Lanka (3)
- First edition: 2007 in South Africa
- First winner: India in 2007
- Leading run scorers: Virat Kohli (973), Mahela Jayawardene (842)
- Leading wicket takers: Shahid Afridi (39), Umar Gul (24)
- Highest team total: Sri Lanka 260/6 vs Kenya in 2007
- Lowest team total: Netherlands 39 all out vs Sri Lanka in 2014
- Highest individual score: Chris Gayle 117 vs South Africa in 2007
- Best bowling figures: Umar Gul 5/6 vs New Zealand in 2009
This summarizes the winners and key highlights from all the T20 World Cups held so far since 2007. With explosive cricket and exciting finishes, the tournament has evolved into one of the most popular events in the cricketing calendar and will continue to showcase the best of T20I cricket.
Conclusion
The T20 World Cup has seen several dramatic moments and unexpected winners since its inception in 2007. From India’s thrilling last-over win in the inaugural edition to Carlos Brathwaite’s stunning four sixes to clinch the trophy for West Indies in 2016, the tournament has consistently delivered entertainment and excitement.
While the T20 format lends itself to unpredictability, some teams have shown greater consistency in going deep into the tournament. Sri Lanka and the West Indies have been the most successful sides with 3 and 2 titles respectively. Players like Virat Kohli, Mahela Jayawardene and Shahid Afridi have lit up the tournament with their performances over the years.
As T20 cricket continues to grow rapidly around the world, the World Cup promises to keep getting bigger and more competitive. More teams are now competing for the coveted title as the sport gains mainstream popularity. This ensures that fans can expect more nail-biting contests and sensational performances in the future editions.
