The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is the biggest stage in Twenty20 cricket. Since its first edition in 2007, the tournament has grown into one of the most-watched events in world cricket. It brought a faster, more engaging version of the game to fans worldwide.
The format changed how cricket was played. Batters swung from the first ball. Bowlers had to think on their feet. Fielders had to be sharp every second. The T20 World Cup put all of that on display in a short, action-packed tournament every two years.
Over nine editions, six different teams have won the title. India, West Indies, and England have each won it twice. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Australia have won it once each. The 2024 edition, held in the USA and West Indies, saw India win their second title after a 17-year wait.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Winners List (2007-2024)
Here is the complete list of T20 World Cup winners from 2007 to 2024:
| Year | Host Country | Winner | Runner-Up | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | USA & West Indies | India | South Africa | India won by 7 runs |
| 2022 | Australia | England | Pakistan | England won by 5 wickets |
| 2021 | UAE & Oman | Australia | New Zealand | Australia won by 8 wickets |
| 2016 | India | West Indies | England | West Indies won by 4 wickets |
| 2014 | Bangladesh | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets |
| 2012 | Sri Lanka | West Indies | Sri Lanka | West Indies won by 36 runs |
| 2010 | West Indies | England | Australia | England won by 7 wickets |
| 2009 | England | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | Pakistan won by 8 wickets |
| 2007 | South Africa | India | Pakistan | India won by 5 runs |
T20 World Cup Titles by Country
This table shows how many T20 World Cup titles each country has won:
| Team | Titles | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|
| India | 2 | 2007, 2024 |
| West Indies | 2 | 2012, 2016 |
| England | 2 | 2010, 2022 |
| Pakistan | 1 | 2009 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 2014 |
| Australia | 1 | 2021 |
Here is a closer look at every T20 World Cup winner and the key moments from each edition.
1. India (2024)
India won their second T20 World Cup title in Barbados on 29 June 2024. They beat South Africa by 7 runs in a nail-biting final. India scored 176/7 in their 20 overs. South Africa needed 30 runs off the last two overs and looked set to win until Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya turned things around. South Africa finished at 169/8, falling just short.
Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning boundary catch to dismiss David Miller was the turning point. Virat Kohli scored 76 in what was his final T20 World Cup innings. Both Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from T20 internationals after this victory. India became the first team to complete a T20 World Cup without losing a single match.
Key Players: Jasprit Bumrah (Player of the Tournament), Virat Kohli (Player of the Final), Rohit Sharma (Captain), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya
2. England (2022)
England won their second T20 World Cup title in Melbourne on 13 November 2022. They beat Pakistan by 5 wickets in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Sam Curran’s death bowling restricted Pakistan to 137. Ben Stokes then anchored the chase and finished the job with an unbeaten 52. England became the first men’s team to hold both the 50-over and T20 World Cup titles at the same time.
The tournament had some memorable moments. England suffered a shock early loss to Ireland but regrouped strongly in the knockout stage. They beat India and then Pakistan to lift the trophy.
Key Players: Sam Curran (Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (Captain), Alex Hales
3. Australia (2021)
Australia won their first-ever T20 World Cup title in Dubai on 14 November 2021. They beat New Zealand by 8 wickets in the final. This was a long-awaited title for Australia, which had never won the T20 World Cup despite being a consistent performer. David Warner scored a brilliant 53 off 38 balls. Mitchell Marsh hit 77 off 50 balls to seal the win with ease.
The tournament was held in the UAE and Oman after being postponed from India due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aaron Finch led the team with sharp tactical thinking throughout the campaign.
Key Players: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh (Player of the Match), Aaron Finch (Captain), Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
4. West Indies (2016)
West Indies produced one of the most dramatic finishes in cricket history at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 3 April 2016. Needing 19 runs off the last over to beat England, Carlos Brathwaite hit four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes to seal a 4-wicket win. It was a stunning comeback after West Indies looked beaten at the start of that final over.
West Indies became the first team to win the T20 World Cup twice. The tournament was held in India and saw some outstanding individual performances. Virat Kohli finished as the Player of the Series after some brilliant batting.
Key Players: Carlos Brathwaite (Player of the Match), Darren Sammy (Captain), Marlon Samuels, Virat Kohli (India, Player of the Series)
5. Sri Lanka (2014)
Sri Lanka won their first T20 World Cup title in Dhaka on 6 April 2014. They beat India by 6 wickets in the final. The Sri Lankan bowlers dismissed India for just 130. Kumar Sangakkara then guided the chase with a calm 52 off 35 balls. This was a fitting farewell for both Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who retired from T20 internationals as world champions.
The tournament had 16 teams and featured some strong performances from Associate nations. India had Virat Kohli in brilliant form throughout as he finished as the top run-scorer and Player of the Series.
Key Players: Kumar Sangakkara (Player of the Match), Lasith Malinga, Dinesh Chandimal, Virat Kohli (India, Player of the Series)
6. West Indies (2012)
West Indies won their first T20 World Cup title in Colombo on 7 October 2012. They beat hosts Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the final despite posting a modest 137 on the board. Marlon Samuels scored 78 off 56 balls to anchor the innings. Then Sunil Narine returned figures of 3/9 to dismantle the Sri Lankan batting lineup. Sri Lanka was bowled out for 101.
The tournament was held in Sri Lanka and featured some outstanding spin bowling on slow pitches. Darren Sammy led the West Indies side with energy and confidence throughout.
Key Players: Marlon Samuels (Player of the Match), Sunil Narine, Darren Sammy (Captain), Chris Gayle, Shane Watson (Australia, Player of the Series)
7. England (2010)
England won their first T20 World Cup title in Barbados on 16 May 2010. They beat Australia by 7 wickets in the final. Kevin Pietersen was the standout batter of the tournament. His aggressive batting and leadership with the bat helped England dominate the knockout stages.
England became the first non-Asian team to win the T20 World Cup. Paul Collingwood’s tactical captaincy was sharp throughout. This victory was a significant moment for England’s white-ball cricket journey. It marked the beginning of a new attacking era under the limited-overs setup.
Key Players: Kevin Pietersen (Player of the Tournament), Paul Collingwood (Captain), Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb
8. Pakistan (2009)
Pakistan won the T20 World Cup in 2009 at Lord’s on 21 June 2009. They beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in the final. Shahid Afridi delivered a brilliant all-round performance, scoring crucial runs and picking up key wickets throughout the tournament. Pakistan lost their first group match against England but fought back strongly in the knockouts.
Pakistan avenged their heartbreak from the 2007 final, in which they lost to India. The tournament was held in England and saw some rain-affected matches. Pakistan’s bowling attack was difficult to bat against in overcast English conditions.
Key Players: Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan (Captain), Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq
9. India (2007)
India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in Johannesburg on 24 September 2007. They beat Pakistan by 5 runs in a thrilling final. The match came down to the last over, with Misbah-ul-Haq on the verge of winning it for Pakistan. His attempted scoop shot off Joginder Sharma was caught by Sreesanth at short fine-leg, ending Pakistan’s hopes.
The tournament had some iconic moments. Yuvraj Singh hit six sixes in one Stuart Broad over in the semifinal against England. Chris Gayle scored the first T20 World Cup century in the very first match of the tournament. Gautam Gambhir scored 75 in the final and played a key role in India’s 157-run total.
Key Players: Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (Captain), Irfan Pathan, RP Singh, Shahid Afridi (Pakistan, Player of the Series)
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (Ongoing)
As the T20 World Cup 2026 unfolds across the sub-continent, the tournament has reached its most critical juncture. Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the 10th edition of this biennial event has lived up to its reputation for high-octane drama, particularly with the shocking group-stage exit of former champions Australia.
Following the conclusion of a competitive 20-team opening round on February 20, the focus has shifted to the Super 8 stage, which officially began on February 21. In this phase, the top eight teams are divided into two groups of four, battling for a spot in the semi-finals. Defending champions India remain the team to beat, entering the Super 8s with an unbeaten record, while underdog Zimbabwe has emerged as the “giant killer” of the tournament.
T20 World Cup 2026: Super 8 Groupings
The eight qualified teams have been split based on their performance and pre-tournament seedings:
| Group 1 (India Venues) | Group 2 (Sri Lanka Venues) |
| India (Defending Champions) | Pakistan |
| South Africa | New Zealand |
| West Indies | Sri Lanka (Co-host) |
| Zimbabwe | England |
Current Tournament Status (as of Feb 2026)
- Venues: Matches are being played in iconic cities across India, including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata, and in Sri Lanka, including Colombo and Kandy.
- Key Storyline: Zimbabwe’s qualification at the expense of Australia has been the talk of the tournament, marking one of the biggest upsets in T20 history.
- India’s Form: Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue dominated Group A, including a clinical 61-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the league stage.
- Next Milestone: The Super 8 matches will conclude on March 1, followed by the semi-finals on March 4–5, culminating in the grand final on March 8, 2026, at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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Conclusion – India Has Won the Most T20 World Cup Titles in Recent History
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has produced some of the most memorable moments in cricket history. From Yuvraj’s six sixes in 2007 to Brathwaite’s four sixes off the last over in 2016, the tournament always delivers drama. Each edition adds new stories and heroes to the game.
India, West Indies, and England lead with two titles each. The 2024 edition in the USA and West Indies showed how far T20 cricket has spread globally. The expansion to 20 teams gave more countries a chance to compete on the biggest stage.
The 2026 tournament will be held in India and Sri Lanka. As defending champions, India will look to win an unprecedented third title. With new players stepping up after the retirements of Kohli and Rohit from the format, the next chapter promises to be just as exciting.
