India’s remarkable reign as the world’s No. 1 T20I team has officially come to an end after more than four years. Following a crushing 0-4 series defeat against England, the Men in Blue have slipped to second place in the latest ICC T20I rankings, while England have climbed to the summit after a dominant display throughout the five-match series.
India had held the top spot since February 2022, enjoying a historic run of over 1,600 days at the top of the rankings. During that period, the team established itself as one of the strongest T20 sides in world cricket, including winning back-to-back ICC T20 World Cup titles. However, England’s emphatic performances in the recently concluded series proved enough to end India’s long-standing dominance.
| Rank | Team | Matches | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 38 | 268 |
| 2 | India | 58 | 268 |
| 3 | Australia | 38 | 260 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 50 | 247 |
| 5 | South Africa | 48 | 244 |
| 6 | Pakistan | 57 | 240 |
| 7 | West Indies | 56 | 234 |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 50 | 224 |
| 9 | Sri Lanka | 44 | 221 |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 36 | 220 |
The decisive blow came in the fifth T20I at Southampton, where India failed to chase a massive target of 258. England posted 257/3, powered by Jos Buttler’s sensational 131 off 64 balls and an unbeaten 95 from captain Harry Brook. India fought back with the bat but eventually finished on 201/8, losing by 56 runs.
England dominated the series from start to finish. After the opening match was washed out, they chased down 191 with ease in Manchester before registering India’s biggest-ever T20I defeat by runs in the second game. They then sealed the series with a convincing nine-wicket win at Edgbaston before completing a clean sweep in Southampton.
The latest ICC T20I rankings now place England and India on the same rating points, but England have edged ahead to claim the No. 1 ranking. Australia remain third, followed by New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in the top ten.
Speaking after the victory, England captain Harry Brook revealed that becoming the world’s top-ranked T20I side had become the team’s primary objective after taking a 2-0 lead in the series. He said the entire squad was delighted to achieve the milestone and believed the team deserved to celebrate the achievement.
Despite losing the T20I crown, India will now look to bounce back quickly as attention shifts to the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, beginning on Tuesday.