Reigning T20 World Cup champions India will be defending their title on home soil. That can only go one way, right?

History suggests differently. No host nation has ever won this tournament, while no team has successfully defended their crown in the competition since its inauguration in 2007.

The only host nation to ever reach the final was Sri Lanka, who are co-hosting this 20-team edition, which they achieved in 2012.

Nevertheless, India, who make up Group A alongside Pakistan, the Netherlands, Namibia and the United States, are still favourites to lift the trophy on March 8.

Australia and Sri Lanka headline Group B, which also features Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman, while Italy will become the 25th country to appear in the competition when they take on West Indies, England, Scotland and Nepal in Group C.

Perhaps the toughest group on paper is Group D, with New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada and the United Arab Emirates vying for qualification.

The top two nations in each group will progress to the Super Eight stage, in which the teams will be split into two groups of four. The top two sides in those groups will then reach the semi-finals.

On the eve of the tournament, we delve into the Opta data to see which countries and players could make the headlines in India and Sri Lanka.

The updated fixtures list for the Men’s #T20WorldCup 2026 

More details  https://t.co/xqwAGV8e82 pic.twitter.com/Pp5gyr8E4t

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) January 24, 2026

THE TOP TEAMS

India

India won the 2024 T20 World Cup in record-breaking fashion as they became the only team to lift the trophy without losing a single match.

They won eight games en route to the title, the joint-most by any country at a single edition (South Africa also won eight in 2024), and if they beat USA in their opening match, they will set a record for most consecutive games won at the competition (nine).

India (52) are one of four sides to play 50+ games in T20 World Cup history alongside Sri Lanka (54), England (52) and Pakistan (51); the Men in Blue have won the most games in regulation overs in the competition (35) and have the highest winning rate (69%) of any team.

Their bowling attack was crucial in their triumph. Arshdeep Singh took the joint-most wickets (17), which was also the highest in one edition of the tournament, while Jasprit Bumrah contributed 15.

This time around, it could be their batters who come to the fore. During their T20I series against New Zealand last month, which India won 4-1, they scored 200 or more in three of the matches, including a total of 271 in the final game.

Player to watch: Abhishek Sharma

Since the conclusion of the last T20 World Cup, Abhishek has scored 1,297 runs in 37 T20I innings, the second most by a batter from a full-member nation. He has done so at a staggering strike rate of 194.7, the best among players to face at least 200 balls in the format.

Abhishek has found the boundary once every 3.2 deliveries, the most frequent rate in T20Is among batters from full-member sides since then, while 78.6% of his runs have come in boundaries, second only to Evin Lewis’ boundary run percentage of 79.6% (minimum 200 balls faced).

England

England come into the tournament in good form, sweeping co-hosts Sri Lanka 3-0 in a T20I series while also defeating New Zealand and Ireland in the shortest format at the end of 2025.

They got to the semi-finals in 2024 before falling to India, while they have won the tournament twice in the past (2010 and 2022).

England batters scored at a strike rate of 146.3 in the last T20 World Cup, the highest such rate of any side in a single tournament; only Australia (every five balls) hit a boundary more often than England (every 5.2 balls).

They are the only country to have reached at least the semi-finals in each of the last four editions, finishing runners-up in 2016 when Carlos Brathwaite scored four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes' bowling in the final to win it for West Indies.

England also hold the record for the highest successful run chase in the tournament, reaching their target of 230 against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in 2016. That was also the last time both teams scored 200+ runs in a T20 World Cup match, and captain Harry Brook has said he expects many run records to tumble in this year's tournament.

Player to watch: Jos Buttler

Buttler is the fourth-highest run scorer in T20 World Cup history with 1,013 and the highest active scorer. He has hit six scores of 50+ runs at a strike rate of 150+ in the competition, the second most times by any batter behind only T20 great Chris Gayle (seven).

His best score came in the 2021 edition, smashing an unbeaten 101 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah. That is the joint-eighth highest total of any batter in the competition, with England head coach Brendon McCullum holding the record (123 versus Bangladesh in 2012).

Buttler is now England's record appearance maker across all formats, having overtaken James Anderson.

Australia

Across the history of the T20 World Cup, no team has scored a higher percentage of their runs from boundaries than Australia (60.9%).

They scored 67.7% of their runs two years ago from boundaries, the highest such share of any side in a single T20 World Cup campaign.

Overall, Australia have won 30 of their 47 T20 World Cup matches, though they have struggled in the competition compared to their rivals.

Since 2014, Australia have only made it to the semi-final stage once, though on that occasion in 2021 they went on to win the whole competition.

And their recent form in the shortest format does not favour them either. Australia were swept 3-0 by Pakistan in their most recent series, while they also lost 2-1 to India before the Ashes in November, so they are by no means in great shape. However, such is their depth of quality, Australia will always pose a threat.

Player to watch: Cooper Connolly

Connolly was the only player to score 150+ runs (209), take 10+ wickets (15) and make more than five catches (nine) in the 2025-26 Big Bash League season.

His spin bowling was also incredibly effective; only Paddy Dooley (19 wickets at an average of 12.8 in 2022-23) has recorded a better bowling average amongst Australian spin bowlers in a BBL campaign (minimum 15 wickets) than Connolly (14.9) in 2025-26.

Hopes are high for Connolly in this tournament even though so far for Australia he has scored just 14 runs across five innings and taken three wickets in seven.

South Africa

South Africa played their first T20 World Cup final two years ago, coming up short to champions India.

History suggests the Proteas are set for a long run because the runner-up in one edition has at least qualified for the semi-finals of the next tournament on seven out of eight occasions, with Pakistan being the only exception (runner-up in 2022, eliminated in the 2024 group stage).

India and South Africa had four different bowlers take 10+ wickets in the last T20 World Cup, the joint-most by any team managed in one edition of the tournament.

The Proteas lost 3-1 in a T20I series against India in December, while they were also beaten by the reigning champions in a warm-up game on Wednesday, but they did beat West Indies 2-1 last month.

A chance to write history! #TheProteas capture the meaning of this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in a single word. #Unbreakable pic.twitter.com/IrIjlHQSJ5

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) February 4, 2026

Player to watch: Ryan Rickelton

Rickelton was a late addition to South Africa's squad and will be keen to carry his impressive SA20 form into the international arena.

The left-hander finished as the third-highest run-scorer of the season, with 337 to his name.

His power-hitting was a major feature, as he struck 24 sixes, the third-most in the tournament. Rickelton was particularly destructive in the powerplay, scoring 170 in that phase, second only to Quinton de Kock (217), who will also feature.

Pakistan

Pakistan have qualified for the semi-final stage of the T20 World Cup most often, doing so on six occasions (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2021 and 2022); the last two champions (India and England) are joint-second on the list with five qualifications each.

They finished as runners-up in 2022, losing to England in the showpiece after an injury to Shaheen Afridi, though they failed to make it past the group stage in 2024.

As well as their recent series sweep over Australia, Pakistan won a tri-series that featured Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the end of last year, and defeated South Africa 2-1 in a series after losing to India in the Asia Cup final.

Pakistan, champions back in 2009, come into this tournament in contentious fashion. Their government has insisted the team boycott their Group A clash with India, but the ICC has allowed them to compete, despite Bangladesh having to withdraw over security concerns.

Player to watch: Mohammad Nawaz

Nawaz has plenty of momentum after recording career-best bowling figures in his most recent T20I outing (5-18 vs Australia on February 1).

In 2025, he equalled Shaheen Shah Afridi’s record of the most wickets for Pakistan in a single calendar year in the format, with 36, and he has already picked up eight through his first five innings in 2026.

His bowling average of 13.5 in the format since the start of 2025 is bettered only by Rashid Khan (12.4) and Kuldeep Yadav (12.8) among full-member side bowlers to have bowled 20+ overs.

New Zealand

New Zealand are yet to get their hands on the T20 World Cup trophy, finishing runners-up to Australia in 2021 while also reaching the semi-finals in 2022, 2016 and 2007.

The Black Caps have struggled in the format recently, especially against the stronger countries.

Along with their 4-1 defeat to India last month, New Zealand were also winless across series against Australia (2-0) and England (1-0) in 2025.

New Zealand also have a losing record against South Africa in T20Is (W7 L11) and have won once and lost once against Afghanistan in the format, so do not rule out a group-stage exit.

They completed their preparation in unconvincing fashion, beating USA by only seven runs on Thursday, but the Black Caps should not be underestimated.

Warm up complete #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/FwnK6arTRE

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 5, 2026

Player to watch: Finn Allen

Allen enjoyed a remarkable BBL 2025–26 season with Perth Scorchers, finishing as the tournament’s highest run scorer (466 at a strike rate of 184.2).

He scored a competition-leading 38 sixes, striking a boundary every 3.9 balls – the third-best rate among batters to have faced 50+ deliveries.

Allen also made an important impact in the final, scoring a quick 36 off 22 balls to help Perth clinch a sixth BBL title.

BEST OF THE REST

All eyes will be on Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga, who has thrived at the previous editions of the competition.

He has the joint-fourth most all-time wickets in the T20 World Cup (37) and he could break Shakib Al Hasan’s record (50), having previously taken 16 scalps in 2021 and 15 in 2022.

Sri Lanka will be hurting from their defeat to England, and they will no doubt feel the pressure to bounce back in front of their own fans.

West Indies are the only side to win every final they have played (P2 W2) and, alongside England and India, are the only sides to win the tournament twice.

Afghanistan reached the last four of a men’s ICC tournament for the first time in 2024, and will be hoping to make another big impact this time around.

Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad enjoys playing in India, ending the 2025 IPL as the second-leading wicket-taker. He claimed 30% of Chennai Super Kings’ wickets, the highest proportion by any bowler in the tournament.

THE OUTSIDERS

While they have never played England in a T20I, Scotland have beaten all their other Group C opponents before in the shortest format.

Max O’Dowd, meanwhile, has been the Netherlands’ go-to man in ICC competitions, scoring 1,061 runs across T20 World Cups and regional qualifiers, the most by any batter for the country.

JJ Smit will be the player to watch for Namibia, with the all-rounder one of only six players to log 300+ runs and 20+ wickets in T20Is since the end of the 2024 tournament.

And Zimbabwe are more than capable of causing an upset, winning eight of their previous 20 T20 World Cup matches (L11 NR1).