The T20 Blast is the top Twenty20 cricket competition in England and Wales. It holds a unique place in cricket history as the world’s first professional T20 league, launched by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2003.
Since then, the tournament has run every year, producing close finishes, dominant champions, and some unforgettable final-day drama. Edgbaston in Birmingham has hosted most of the finals and has become the tournament’s spiritual home.
The competition has gone by several names over the years. It started as the Twenty20 Cup (2003-2009), then became the Friends Provident T20 and Friends Life T20 (2010-2013), then the NatWest T20 Blast (2014-2017), and since 2018 it has been the Vitality Blast due to insurance company sponsorship.
Somerset claimed the most recent title in 2025, beating Hampshire by 6 wickets in the final at Edgbaston. That win gave Somerset their third title overall, placing them among the tournament’s most successful sides alongside Leicestershire and Hampshire.
No team has ever won back-to-back titles, which makes the T20 Blast one of the most unpredictable domestic leagues in world cricket. Over 23 seasons, 13 different teams have lifted the trophy.
T20 Blast Winners List: All Seasons (2003-2025)
The table below covers every T20 Blast season from the inaugural 2003 edition to the most recent 2025 final.
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up | Margin | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Somerset | Hampshire | Won by 6 wickets | Edgbaston |
| 2024 | Gloucestershire | Somerset | Won by 8 wickets | Edgbaston |
| 2023 | Somerset | Essex | Won by 14 runs | Edgbaston |
| 2022 | Hampshire Hawks | Lancashire Lightning | Won by 1 run | Edgbaston |
| 2021 | Kent Spitfires | Somerset | Won by 25 runs | Edgbaston |
| 2020 | Notts Outlaws | Surrey | Won by 6 wickets | Edgbaston |
| 2019 | Essex Eagles | Worcestershire Rapids | Won by 4 wickets | Edgbaston |
| 2018 | Worcestershire Rapids | Sussex Sharks | Won by 5 wickets | Edgbaston |
| 2017 | Notts Outlaws | Birmingham Bears | Won by 22 runs | Edgbaston |
| 2016 | Northants Steelbacks | Durham Jets | Won by 4 wickets | Edgbaston |
| 2015 | Lancashire Lightning | Northants Steelbacks | Won by 13 runs | Edgbaston |
| 2014 | Birmingham Bears | Lancashire Lightning | Won by 4 runs | Edgbaston |
| 2013 | Northants Steelbacks | Surrey | Won by 102 runs (D/L) | Edgbaston |
| 2012 | Hampshire Royals | Yorkshire Carnegie | Won by 10 runs | Sophia Gardens |
| 2011 | Leicestershire Foxes | Somerset | Won by 18 runs | Edgbaston |
| 2010 | Hampshire Royals | Somerset | Tied (fewer wickets lost) | Rose Bowl |
| 2009 | Sussex Sharks | Somerset Sabres | Won by 63 runs | Edgbaston |
| 2008 | Middlesex Crusaders | Kent Spitfires | Won by 3 runs | Rose Bowl |
| 2007 | Kent Spitfires | Gloucestershire Gladiators | Won by 4 wickets | Edgbaston |
| 2006 | Leicestershire Foxes | Notts Outlaws | Won by 4 runs | Trent Bridge |
| 2005 | Somerset Sabres | Lancashire Lightning | Won by 7 wickets | The Oval |
| 2004 | Leicestershire Foxes | Surrey Lions | Won by 7 wickets | Edgbaston |
| 2003 | Surrey Lions | Warwickshire Bears | Won by 9 wickets | Trent Bridge |
Season-by-Season Highlights
Here are the Season by Season Highlights:
2025: Somerset Beat Hampshire by 6 Wickets
Somerset chased down 195 at Edgbaston to win their third T20 Blast title. Will Smeed anchored the innings and picked up the Player of the Match award. Hampshire posted 194/6, with Toby Albert scoring 85 and James Vince adding 52, but Somerset’s batting held firm throughout the chase.
2024: Gloucestershire Win First Ever Title
Gloucestershire claimed their maiden T20 Blast title with an 8-wicket win over Somerset at Edgbaston. Matt Taylor took 3 early wickets to restrict Somerset to 124. Miles Hammond (58*) and Cameron Bancroft (53) then added 112 runs together and finished the job with 30 balls to spare.
2023: Somerset’s Bowlers Gun Down Essex
Somerset beat Essex by 14 runs in the 2023 final. They posted 145/4, with Tom Banton scoring 39 and Tom Abell contributing an unbeaten 42. Matt Henry proved the difference, taking 4/24 as Essex fell short despite Dan Lawrence’s fighting 51.
2022: Hampshire Edge Lancashire by 1 Run
The 2022 final stands as the closest in T20 Blast history. Hampshire made 152, led by Ben McDermott’s 62. Lancashire were one run away from winning off the final ball, but Nathan Ellis bowled a perfect yorker to seal a dramatic Hampshire win. McDermott took the Player of the Match award.
2021: Kent Beat Somerset by 25 Runs
Kent won their second title with a composed performance against Somerset. Jordan Cox scored 58* and also pouched a crucial catch, earning him the Player of the Match. Somerset were bowled out for 142, falling 25 runs short of Kent’s total of 167/7.
2020: Notts Outlaws Defend Low Total
Surrey batted first and managed only 127/7. Sam Curran was the standout batter with 40*. Notts chased it down in 16.2 overs, with Ben Duckett hitting an unbeaten 53. Dan Christian led well and earned the Player of the Match award.
2019: Essex Win First Title on Last Ball
Essex beat Worcestershire by 4 wickets in a nail-biting finish. Worcestershire scored 145 with Moeen Ali top-scoring at 32. Ravi Bopara hit the winning runs on the last delivery to finish 36*. Simon Harmer took Player of the Match for his bowling contribution.
2018: Worcestershire Claim Debut Title
Worcestershire beat Sussex Sharks by 5 wickets to win their first T20 Blast trophy. Sussex posted 157, with Laurie Evans scoring 50. Moeen Ali took 3 wickets and also hit a quick 41 with the bat. Ben Cox finished the job with 46*.
2017: Notts Outlaws Win First Title
Notts posted 190/4 in the 2017 final, with Brendan Taylor smashing 65 from 49 balls. Birmingham Bears responded with 168, falling 22 runs short. Harry Gurney took 4 wickets to close out the game, while Samit Patel earned Player of the Match for his all-round contribution.
2016: Northants Steelbacks Take Second Title
Northants beat Durham by 4 wickets in the 2016 final. Durham posted 153 with Keaton Jennings scoring 88. Josh Cobb replied with 80, making the chase look straightforward. Ben Sanderson also bowled well to earn recognition in the victory.
2015: Lancashire Lightning Win Maiden Title
Lancashire beat Northants Steelbacks by 13 runs to win their first T20 Blast crown. They scored 166/7, with Ashwell Prince and Alex Davies giving them a solid start. James Faulkner broke key partnerships during the chase. Alex Davies picked up the Player of the Match award.
2014: Birmingham Bears Win at Home
Birmingham won the first final played under the name NatWest T20 Blast. Laurie Evans scored 53* to help post 181. Lancashire came close, with Karl Brown scoring 55, but Boyd Rankin bowled tight overs at the death to secure a 4-run win for the hosts.
2013: David Willey Stars in Rain-Hit Final
Northants beat Surrey in a Duckworth-Lewis victory. David Willey scored 60 and then demolished Surrey’s batting with figures of 4/9, wrapping up a 102-run win under the DLS method. It was Northants’s first T20 Blast title and Willey’s best performance in a final.
2012: Hampshire Hold Off Yorkshire
Hampshire beat Yorkshire Carnegie by 10 runs in a final played at Sophia Gardens. Jimmy Adams scored a steady 43 as Hampshire reached 150/6. Yorkshire’s David Miller scored a rapid 72 to keep the chase alive, but Chris Wood took 3 wickets to see Hampshire home.
2011: Leicestershire Win Third Title
Leicestershire beat Somerset by 18 runs to claim their third T20 title. They scored 145/6, with Will Jefferson hitting 35 off 29 balls. Somerset made just 127/9 in reply. Josh Cobb was the hero with both bat and ball, taking 4/22 in an all-round display.
2010: Hampshire Win Tied Final
Hampshire and Somerset both scored 173 in a dramatic Rose Bowl final. Hampshire won because they lost fewer wickets. Neil McKenzie scored an unbeaten 52 and Sean Ervine added 44 to help Hampshire reach that total. McKenzie took the Player of the Match award.
2009: Sussex Hammer Somerset by 63 Runs
Sussex won the 2009 final by a wide margin. Dwayne Smith smashed 59 from just 26 balls as Sussex reached 172/7. Somerset then collapsed to 109 all out. James Kirtley took 3/9 to wrap up the innings and give Sussex their first T20 title.
2008: Middlesex Edge Kent by 3 Runs
Owais Shah scored 75 as Middlesex posted 187/6 in the 2008 final. Kent came close but fell 3 runs short. Shaun Udal conceded only 21 runs in his four overs to help Middlesex defend the target. Shah took home the Player of the Match award.
2007: Kent Spitfires Win With Two Balls to Spare
Kent beat Gloucestershire Gladiators by 4 wickets, chasing down 147 with two balls remaining. Matt Walker made 45 at the top of the order and Darren Stevens finished the job with 30*. Ryan McLaren picked up the Player of the Match award.
2006: Leicestershire Win Second Title in Tight Finish
Leicestershire beat Notts Outlaws by 4 runs in a close final at Trent Bridge. Darren Maddy hit a brilliant 86* to drive Leicestershire to 177/2. Notts chased hard but fell short. Jeremy Snape bowled economically, giving away only 20 runs, to help Leicestershire hold on.
2005: Somerset Claim First Title
Somerset beat Lancashire by 7 wickets in the 2005 final at The Oval. Their bowlers kept Lancashire to a modest total. Andrew Caddick was sharp with the ball, and Marcus Trescothick and James Hildreth then chased down the target without breaking sweat.
2004: Leicestershire Win Inaugural Title Defence
Leicestershire beat Surrey Lions by 7 wickets to win their second title in successive years. Their bowlers restricted Surrey to a low score, and Brad Hodge led a smooth chase. Hodge earned the Player of the Match award for his composed innings.
2003: Surrey Lions Win the First Title
Surrey beat Warwickshire Bears by 9 wickets in the first-ever T20 Blast final at Trent Bridge. Warwickshire could only manage 115. Surrey’s bowlers kept the innings in check, with Jimmy Ormond winning the Player of the Match award. Ali Brown and Ian Ward then knocked off the runs without any trouble.
Most Successful Teams in T20 Blast History
Three teams have won the T20 Blast three times each. Leicestershire were the early dominant force, while Hampshire built their legacy across a wider time span. Somerset completed their own trio of titles in 2025.
| Team | Titles | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| Leicestershire Foxes | 3 | 2004, 2006, 2011 |
| Hampshire | 3 | 2010, 2012, 2022 |
| Somerset | 3 | 2005, 2023, 2025 |
| Northants Steelbacks | 2 | 2013, 2016 |
| Notts Outlaws | 2 | 2017, 2020 |
| Kent Spitfires | 2 | 2007, 2021 |
Key Records and Stats
Here are some Key Records and Stats:
Most Finals Venue
Edgbaston in Birmingham has hosted more T20 Blast finals than any other ground. It hosted 19 of the 23 finals played between 2003 and 2025, making it the de facto home of the tournament’s biggest matches.
Closest Final
The 2022 final between Hampshire and Lancashire ended in a 1-run win, the narrowest margin in tournament history. Lancashire needed just 1 run off the last ball to win but could not get it, handing Hampshire their third title in dramatic fashion.
Biggest Winning Margin
The 2009 final saw the largest winning margin, with Sussex beating Somerset by 63 runs. Dwayne Smith’s 59 off 26 balls set the platform, and James Kirtley’s 3/9 skittled Somerset for just 109.
Back-to-Back Winners
No team has won the T20 Blast in consecutive seasons. Leicestershire came closest, winning in 2004 and 2006, but even they could not defend their title the year after winning it. This pattern holds across all 23 seasons, making the competition uniquely difficult to dominate.
Most Runs in T20 Blast History
James Vince of Hampshire holds the record for the most runs in T20 Blast history, with 5,830 runs across his career in the competition.
Largest Victory Margin Overall
Somerset beat Derbyshire in 2022 by 191 runs, the largest margin of victory in T20 Blast match history (not just finals).
Number of Different Champions
13 different teams have won the T20 Blast across its 23 editions, which reflects how competitive the format is. No single county has managed to dominate the tournament over a sustained period.
How the Tournament’s Name Has Changed
The T20 Blast has carried several names over its history, all driven by sponsorship deals.
- 2003-2009: Twenty20 Cup
- 2010: Friends Provident T20
- 2011-2012: Friends Life T20
- 2013: Yorkshire Bank 40 (group stage only)
- 2014-2017: NatWest T20 Blast
- 2018-present: Vitality Blast
The format has stayed the same throughout, with 18 first-class county teams competing across two groups, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final held at Edgbaston.
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Final Word
The T20 Blast remains one of the most competitive domestic T20 leagues in world cricket. Somerset’s 2025 win makes them a three-time champion alongside Leicestershire and Hampshire, but 13 different winners in 23 seasons tells the real story of how hard this trophy is to win.
The tournament’s record of no back-to-back champion in over two decades is a testament to how level the competition is. Every season, a different team rises to the occasion, which keeps fans coming back year after year.
