As the 2024 T20 World Cup approaches, let’s take a look back at India T20 world cup journey through the previous editions of the T20 World Cup.
India, a powerhouse in international cricket, is always among the favorites to win any tournament they participate in. They boast the world’s richest and biggest franchise cricket league, the Indian Premier League (IPL).
However, their success in ICC events has not always matched their domestic dominance. The Men in Blue have won a total of five major ICC tournaments, with just one triumph in the shortest format of the game.
T20 World Cup 2007 in South Africa: The Inaugural Triumph
The inaugural T20 World Cup took place in South Africa in 2007, and India was one of the 12 teams participating. Under the leadership of MS Dhoni, the Indian team, filled with youngsters, defied all odds to script history.
- Group Stage: India’s opener against Scotland was abandoned without a toss. In their next game against Pakistan, the match ended in a tie, leading to a thrilling Bowl-Out, which India won 3-0.
- Super 8s and Beyond: India lost to New Zealand but won three consecutive games, including a semi-final victory against Australia. In the final, India defeated Pakistan by five runs in a last-over thriller.
- Key Performers: Gautam Gambhir was the best batter for India with 227 runs, while RP Singh took five wickets.
T20 World Cup 2009 in England: Early Exit
With hopes of retaining their title, India entered the 2009 T20 World Cup in England under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. However, their campaign was short-lived.
- Group Stage: India started with a win over Bangladesh but lost three successive matches against West Indies, England, and South Africa, failing to qualify for the semi-finals.
- Apology to Fans: After a narrow loss to England, Dhoni apologized to Indian fans for their poor performance.
- Key Performers: Yuvraj Singh scored 153 runs, while Pragyan Ojha and Zaheer Khan each took seven wickets.
T20 World Cup 2010 in West Indies: Another Disappointment
The 2010 T20 World Cup saw India once again failing to make it past the Super 8 stage.
- Group Stage: India began with wins against Afghanistan and South Africa but lost all three matches in the Super 8s.
- Key Performers: Suresh Raina was the top scorer with 219 runs, and Ashish Nehra was the leading wicket-taker with 10 wickets.
T20 World Cup 2012 in Sri Lanka: Narrow Miss
The 2012 edition in Sri Lanka saw West Indies winning their first T20 World Cup, while India narrowly missed the knockout stage despite a strong showing.
- Group Stage: India won four out of five league matches but had a poor Net Run Rate, which cost them a semi-final spot.
- Key Performers: Virat Kohli scored 185 runs, and Lakshmipathy Balaji took nine wickets.
T20 World Cup 2014 in Bangladesh: Heartbreak in the Final
India came very close to their second T20 title in 2014 but suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final against Sri Lanka.
- Tournament Run: India dominated the tournament, winning five straight matches, including the semi-final against South Africa.
- Final Match: Despite Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 77, India managed only 130 runs. Sri Lanka chased down the target comfortably.
- Key Performers: Kohli was the top scorer of the tournament with 319 runs, while Ravichandran Ashwin took 11 wickets.
T20 World Cup 2016 in India: Semi-Final Exit at Home
Hosting the T20 World Cup for the first time, India had high hopes but fell short in the semi-finals.
- Group Stage: India lost their opener to New Zealand but bounced back with three consecutive wins to reach the semi-finals.
- Semi-Final: India was defeated by the West Indies, who eventually won the tournament.
- Key Performers: Virat Kohli continued his form as the top scorer with 273 runs, while Ashish Nehra and Hardik Pandya took five wickets each.
T20 World Cup 2021 in UAE: Underwhelming Performance
Due to COVID-19, the 2021 T20 World Cup was moved from India to the UAE. India had a disappointing run and failed to reach the knockouts.
- Group Stage: India lost their opener to Pakistan and another key match to New Zealand, winning only three out of five matches.
- Key Performers: KL Rahul was the top scorer with 194 runs, while Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja each took seven wickets.
T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia: Semi-Final Loss
Under Rohit Sharma’s leadership, India reached the semi-finals in 2022 but faced a crushing defeat against England.
Group Stage and Semi-Final: India performed well in the group stage but lost the semi-final to England by 10 wickets.
Memorable Moment: Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 82 against Pakistan at the MCG was a standout performance.
Key Performers: Kohli was the leading run-scorer with 296 runs, and Arshdeep Singh took 10 wickets.
Looking Forward to 2024: Quest for the Second T20 Title
The 2024 T20 World Cup is set to begin on June 2, and India will travel to the USA and West Indies aiming to end their long trophy drought.
Team India T20 World Cup Squad 2024
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan
India’s T20 World Cup Schedule and Match Timings in IST
| DATE (USA) | MATCHES | TIME (IST) | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05-Jun-24 | INDIA v IRELAND | 8:00 PM | New York |
| 09-Jun-24 | INDIA v PAKISTAN | 8:00 PM | New York |
| 12-Jun-24 | USA v INDIA | 8:00 PM | New York |
| 15-Jun-24 | INDIA v CANADA | 8:00 PM | Florida |
India’s History at T20 World Cups
| YEAR | RESULT | HOST |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Champions | South Africa |
| 2009 | Super 8s | England |
| 2010 | Super 8s | Cricket West Indies |
| 2012 | Super 8s | Sri Lanka |
| 2014 | Runners-up | Bangladesh |
| 2016 | Semi-finals | India |
| 2021 | Super 12s | UAE/Oman |
| 2022 | Semi-finals | Australia |
India’s win-loss record in T20 World Cups
| MATCHES | Won | Lost | Tied | No-result | Win-Loss Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 27 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1.8 |
5 Highest run-getters
| PLAYER | MATCHES | RUNS | HIGHEST SCORE | AVE | STRIKE-RATE | 100 | 50 | 4S | 6S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 27 | 1141 | 89* | 81.5 | 131.3 | 0 | 14 | 103 | 28 |
| Rohit Sharma | 39 | 963 | 79* | 34.39 | 127.88 | 0 | 9 | 91 | 35 |
| Yuvraj Singh | 31 | 593 | 70 | 23.72 | 128.91 | 0 | 4 | 38 | 33 |
| MS Dhoni | 33 | 529 | 45 | 35.26 | 123.88 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 16 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 21 | 524 | 75 | 26.2 | 118.01 | 0 | 4 | 61 | 6 |
5 Highest wicket-takers
| PLAYER | MATCHES | WICKETS | BBI | AVE | ECONOMY | STRIKE-RATE | 4-FER | 5-FER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R Ashwin | 24 | 32 | 4/11 | 17.25 | 6.49 | 15.9 | 1 | 0 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 22 | 21 | 3/14 | 25.19 | 7.14 | 21.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 19 | 16 | 4/12 | 29.25 | 6.78 | 25.8 | 1 | 0 |
| Irfan Pathan | 15 | 16 | 3/16 | 20.06 | 7.46 | 16.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ashish Nehra | 10 | 15 | 3/19 | 17.93 | 6.89 | 15.6 | 0 | 0 |
Highest individual score
| PLAYER | RUNS | 4S | 6S | SR | OPPOSITION | GROUND | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suresh Raina | 101 | 9 | 5 | 168.33 | v South Africa | Gros Islet | 2010 |
| Virat Kohli | 89* | 11 | 1 | 189.36 | v West Indies | Wankhede | 2016 |
| Virat Kohli | 82* | 9 | 2 | 160.78 | v Australia | Mohali | 2016 |
| Virat Kohli | 82* | 6 | 4 | 154.71 | v Pakistan | Melbourne | 2022 |
| Rohit Sharma | 79* | 4 | 6 | 171.73 | v Australia | Bridgetown | 2010 |
Best Bowling Figures
| PLAYER | OVERS | MAIDENS | RUNS | WICKETS | ECON | OPPOSITION | GROUND | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R Ashwin | 3.2 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 3.3 | v Australia | Mirpur | 2014 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 4 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 3 | v England | Colombo (RPS) | 2012 |
| RP Singh | 4 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 3.25 | v South Africa | Durban | 2007 |
| Zaheer Khan | 3 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 6.33 | v Ireland | Nottingham | 2009 |
| Pragyan Ojha | 4 | 0 | 21 | 4 | 5.25 | v Bangladesh | Nottingham | 2009 |
India’s journey in the T20 World Cup has been a mix of glorious triumphs and heartbreaking defeats. As they gear up for the 2024 T20 World Cup, the team and fans alike hope for a second T20 title to end the long trophy drought. With a blend of experienced players and young talents, India is poised to make a strong bid for the coveted trophy.
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