Ranking T20I teams based on their performance since 2016 World T20

It’s been four years since the riveting final between England and West Indies at the Eden Gardens in the final of the 2016 World T20 in India. The memories of Carlos Brathwaite smashing Ben Stokes for four sixes on the trot won’t be getting erased in a jiffy.

Plethora of matches in the format have taken place ever since. A number of eyes were on the Caribbean team, who boasts off some of the brutal power hitters. T20 is a format where the pendulum keeps swinging way too quickly.

Even as teams have snatched victories from the jaws of defeat, some sides have allowed games to slide away after a period of dominance. A number of records have been created during this phase. While a few of the teams raced to victories on a consistent basis, few of them couldn’t quite string together the triumphs.

In the article, we rate the teams after the 2016 World T20 on the basis of their performance: –

10. Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka faced early exit in the 2016 World T20 and their fortunes have only seen a downward trend. In 43 completed games, Lanka have only gotten 13 victories at a win percentage of 30.23. During this while, the Islanders defeated Bangladesh, Pakistan and South Africa three times each.

Australia and India managed to beat them in 13 out of 16 matches. Even on home conditions, Sri Lanka have been horrendous, to say the least. They have only gotten four wins in 16 games. Their only major success was the 3-0 victory over Pakistan in 2019 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

9. Bangladesh

Bangladesh couldn’t win a single game in the 2016 World T20. And the Tigers are yet to come to terms with the format. Barring Zimbabwe, against whom they won all their four matches, the team hasn’t had much to cheer. They have gotten past Sri Lanka and the West Indies, three times each.

Afghanistan and India beat them in nine out of 11 matches. However, in 2019, Bangladesh did manage to win their maiden T20I games against the same opponents. In the last four years, the Tigers have won only 12 out of 34 completed contests with a poor win percentage of 35.29.

8. West Indies

West Indies are the World Champions in the T20 format after they beat England in the final. But even they have had to strain a bit ever since their glory run in 2016. Since the mega event in India, the Caribbeans have only churned out 16 wins in 44 completed games at a win percentage of 36.36.

Apart from beating Afghanistan and Bangladesh in seven matches, the team hasn’t had a joyful ride. India and Pakistan have thumped them in 17 out of 21 encounters. Against Pakistan, the Islanders could only manage a solitary victory. Home has been their happy hunting ground with seven wins.

7. New Zealand

New Zealand are coming off a rather embarrassing 0-5 loss at the hands of India. On two instances, they lost the matches in the Super Over. In the 2016 World T20 they lost to England in the semis after winning all their four group games. From there, the Kiwis have won 15 games at 40.54.

India and Pakistan beat them the most times. Australia and Pakistan didn’t spare them either. The Black Caps weren’t invincible at home either. In 28 matches, they could only garner 12 wins. Bangladesh was the only team New Zealand could dominate, winning in all their three meetings.

6. South Africa

South Africa couldn’t make the semis in the 2016 World Cup and they haven’t a great time ever since. In the last four years, the Proteas have managed only 17 victories at a win percentage of 56.67. Against Bangladesh, New Zealand and Zimbabwe, they remained unbeaten with five wins.

England defeated them four times, the most by any team. South Africa have played as many as 22 matches at home and have won 13 of them. Barring Sri Lanka, they got victories in every other country they travelled to. The Proteas’ scoring rate has been pretty decent though at 8.58.

5. England

England, the finalists of the 2016 World T20, have had to go through an indifferent phase in the format in the last four years. The Brits have a win percentage of 56.67 courtesy of 17 victories from 30 matches. South Africa and the West Indies are the sides they have dominated the most.

Australia, India and New Zealand have given them some tough times though. At home, the Three Lions have played 11 games, winning six of them. In their last couple of series versus the Black Caps and Proteas, they managed to win the series after getting home in the deciding encounters.

4. Afghanistan

From their final game of the World T20 2016, Afghanistan managed to break the record for the longest winning streak in T20Is twice. First they won 11 games and then last year, they won 12 back-to-back matches, breaking their own record. With 26 wins, they have a win percentage of 78.79.

They have beaten Ireland in 12 out of 13 T20Is. Their only loss came in Greater Noida where the game went into the Super Over. Recently, they defeated Kieron Pollard’s West Indies 2-1 in Lucknow. In Ireland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Afghans have won 11 games.

3. Australia

Australia failed to qualify for the semis in the World T20. From there on, they have been a tough T20 side, especially after Aaron Finch took over. In the last four years, the Aussies have garnered 23 wins out of 37 games with a win percentage of 65.71. Against Lanka, they won six out of eight matches.

Finch and Co have made things arduous for the likes of India and England. However, against Pakistan, they have found the going rough, having won only three out of nine matches. In home conditions,  Australia have been a dominant unit as they emerged victorious in 10 out of 16 matches.

2. India

India bowed out of the T20 World Cup at home after the loss at the hands of champions West Indies. But thereafter, the Men in Blue have tasted quite a significant amount of success. They have played 58 matches, the most among the top teams after the mega event, and have won 41, losing only 17.

Kohli’s men have dominated Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, beating them in 12 out of 14 matches. Though they defeated the Black Caps 5-0 in their last series, they have lost three games against them. At home, India have been hard to beat as they have won 18 out of 26 completed matches.

1. Pakistan

Pakistan lost quite a few matches in T20Is in 2019, but despite the dry run, they are the ICC’s number-one ranked side in the format. The same is due to their domination until the end of 2018. After the 2016 World T20, there was a stage when Pakistan won a stunning 29 out of 33 games.

During the last four years, Pakistan have stamped their authority on the West Indies, beating them in nine out of 10 matches. They have also gotten past New Zealand in five out of six matches. In the UAE, they won all their 11 matches and even in Pakistan, they emerged victorious in eight games.