No host country has ever won the tournament; Sri Lanka remains the only home team to reach a final
The T20 World Cup, currently underway in India and Sri Lanka since February 7, has already witnessed upsets from associate nations like Netherlands, Nepal, and the United States. However, history presents a daunting challenge for the co-hosts: no home team has ever claimed the title in nine previous editions.
Sri Lanka came closest in 2012, reaching the final on home soil only to lose to the West Indies by 36 runs in Colombo after being bowled out for just 101 runs chasing 138. India’s best performance as hosts came in 2016, when they reached the semifinals before falling to the West Indies by seven wickets despite posting 192 runs.
The tournament’s history reveals a consistent pattern of host disappointment. South Africa (2007), England (2009), West Indies (2010), Bangladesh (2014), and Australia (2022) all failed to progress beyond the group or Super-8 stages. India’s 2021 campaign, though held in UAE due to COVID-19, saw them eliminated after opening defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand.
Interestingly, four tournaments were won by teams that defeated the hosts during group stages India (2007), England (2010 and 2022), and West Indies (2012). The co-hosting format in 2024 also proved unlucky, with both West Indies and the United States exiting in the Super-8 round.
As India seeks to rewrite history, they face not just formidable opponents but also the weight of an unbroken nine-tournament precedent.
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