KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL – APRIL 03: The West Indies lift the ICC World T20 trophy after winning the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016 Final between England and the West Indies at Eden Gardens on April 3, 2016 in Kolkata, India. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
The West Indies cricket team has won the T20 World Cup twice: in 2012 and 2016. Alongside England, West Indies are the only team to have been on the T20 World Cup winners list from 2007 to 2024 twice.
West Indies have played in every single edition of the T20 World Cup. However, they were eliminated from the group stages of the 2007 T20 World Cup and also failed to qualify for the Super 12 stage of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Despite those failures, there have been a lot of highs and successes for West Indies in this format of the sport. They are said to be the true pioneers and innovators of T20 cricket and revolutionised the way the game is played over the last decade, leaving the rest of the nations to play catch-up with West Indies’ methods.
West Indies have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on two occasions – in 2012 and 2016. Marlon Samuels led the way with the bat while Sunil Narine rocked Sri Lanka in the final of the T20 World Cup 2012 which was held in Colombo.
It was followed by another famous World Cup win only four years later, and it proved to be an even more iconic affair. Needing 19 off the final over of the match, West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite etched his name in history by striking four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes’ bowling to secure a heist for West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Now that we know how many times West Indies won World Cup in the T20 format, here’s how they did it.
West Indies in ICC men’s T20 World Cup from 2007 to 2024
West Indies’ performance in T20 World Cup over the years
| T20 World Cup | Hosts | West Indies’ finish | Winners | Runner-up |
| 2007 | South Africa | Knocked out of group stage | India | Pakistan |
| 2009 | England | Semi-Finals | Pakistan | Sri Lanka |
| 2010 | West Indies | Super 8 elimination | England | Australia |
| 2012 | Sri Lanka | Winners | West Indies | Sri Lanka |
| 2014 | Bangladesh | Semi-Finals | Sri Lanka | India |
| 2016 | India | Winners | West Indies | England |
| 2021 | UAE | Super 12 elimination | Australia | New Zealand |
| 2022 | Australia | First round exit | England | Pakistan |
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2007
(Hosts: South Africa | Winners: India)
West Indies had an underwhelming first appearance during the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007. In their first group stage match with South Africa, Chris Gayle stole the headlines by scoring the very first century in the T20 World Cup. However, the ton came in a losing cause as the Caribbean side went on to lose both their group stage matches against South Africa and Bangladesh by eight wickets and six wickets respectively. With no wins from their first three matches, West Indies were eliminated from the T20 World Cup in 2007 in the very first round.
Also Read: Fastest century in T20 World Cup
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2009
(Hosts: England | Winners: Pakistan)
West Indies fared much better during the ICC men’s T20 World Cup in 2009 which was held in England. They finished second in their group behind Sri Lanka after defeating Australia thanks to Gayle’s knock of 88 off 50. In the Super 8 stage of the competition, West Indies were drawn in a group alongside South Africa, England, and West Indies. They finished second here once again after winning their matches against India and England, the latter by D/L method.
However, West Indies were handed a massive 57-run defeat by Sri Lanka in the semi-finals with Tillakaratne Dilshan playing an outrageous knock of 96* off 57 balls and Angelo Mathews taking three wickets.
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2010
(Hosts: West Indies | Winners: England)
The ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2010 was held on home soil but West Indies had to suffer a Super 8 elimination here. They finished on top of their group with wins over both Ireland and England, but the hosts couldn’t make it count in the Super 8 stage. They finished third in their group also involving Australia, Sri Lanka, India and won just one of their three matches against India where Gayle scored 98 runs.
Also Read: Highest run-scorer in T20 World Cup
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2012
(Hosts: Sri Lanka | Winners: West Indies)
West Indies’ woes and suffering after a bitter experience at the World Cup on home soil were finally put to rest in 2012 when they became ICC T20 World Cup winners. They had a mixed group stage campaign losing once while another game ended without a result. West Indies only made it through to the next round on the basis of better NRR compared to Ireland.
They won two of their three matches in the Super 8 stage and finished second in their group behind hosts Sri Lanka following wins over England and New Zealand, the latter arriving in a Super Over. It was enough for West Indies to march through to the semi-finals where they defeated Australia by a massive margin of 74 runs in Colombo. Chris Gayle played yet another match-winning knock of 75* (41) while Ravi Rampaul also scalped three wickets to bowl out Australia for 131.
Facing hosts Sri Lanka in the final, West Indies were rocked by the bowling of Ajantha Mendis who took four wickets and it was thanks to Marlon Samuels’ fighting knock of 78 (56) that they were able to get to a respectable score of 137/6 in 20 overs.
However, West Indies struck early and Sunil Narine, in the form of his life, bowled a terrific spell of 3/9 to bundle out the opposition for just 101, resulting in a comprehensive 36-run win. Wes Indies were added to the T20 World Cup winners list as a result.
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2014
(Hosts: Bangladesh | Winners: Sri Lanka)
West Indies had another successful campaign during the ICC T20 World Cup 2014. This time, they had directly qualified to the Super 10 stage of the competition and with three wins and a loss in their four matches, they finished second in the table behind India and progressed to the semi-finals.
However, Sri Lanka managed to exact revenge from their loss in the final to West Indies two years earlier and defeated them by 27 runs in a rain-interrupted encounter in the semis. Sri Lanka then went on to beat India in emphatic fashion during the final in Dhaka and became T20 World champions for the first time.
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2016
(Hosts: India | Winners: West Indies)
West Indies would return to the top of the world once again, this time during theT20 World Cup 2016 held in India. They finished on top of their group in the Super 10 stage with three wins and a defeat from their four matches. Their only defeat during this stage arrived against Afghanistan who pulled off a major upset and won by six runs.
Despite that, they went through to the semi-finals where they came face-to-face with hosts India. Led by yet another inspired Virat Kohli performance with the bat, India posted a challenging total of 192/2 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, West Indies were undeterred and thanks to Lendl Simmons’ strong 82* (51) as well as ill-disciplined bowling from India, they won in the final over and made the highest successful run-chasein a knockout match of a T20 World Cup tournament.
West Indies met England in the final at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and Carlos Brathwaite’s 3/23 in four overs helped them restrict England to a total of 155/9. Marlon Samuels, finishing with 85* (66), made the highest score in a T20 World Cup final, but but it required Brathwaite smacking four sixes off the first four balls off the final over bowled by Ben Stokes in order to secure victory for West Indies and a second T20 World Cup crown. Marlon Samuels took home the player of the match award while Virat Kohli was named player of the series having finished at the top run scorer.
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2021
(Hosts: UAE | Winners: Australia)
Five years on from their last T20 World Cup conquest, West Indies had yet another forgettable campaign, this time in the United Arab Emirates. With many of their seniors in the twilight of their career and playing their final T20 World Cup, the Caribbean side were only able to win one of their five matches in the Super 12 stage and were eliminated after the first round.
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2022
(Hosts: Australia | Winners: England)
It was another disappointing show for the two-time T20 World Cup winners, with them not even making it past the first round games. They lost to Scotland in the opening game by 42 runs, then beat Zimbabwe by 31, but a shocking nine-wicket loss against Ireland ended their T20 World Cup hopes even before they began. This was the first time that West Indies did not make it to the main round of the event.
ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2024
(Hosts: West Indies and USA)
Now back on home soil, West Indies are placed in Group C of the T20 World Cup 2024. They also have Afghanistan, New Zealand, Uganda and Papua New Guinea in their group.
FAQs
How was West Indies’ performance in T20 World Cup 2022?
West Indies were eliminated from the T20 World Cup 2022 as they lost in the qualifiers and failed to make it to the Super 12 stage.
Who won the first T20 World Cup?
Team India hold the honour of becoming the first T20 World Cup champions after winning the tournament in South Africa in 2007.
How many times have West Indies won the Cricket World Cup?
West Indies have won the Cricket World Cup on two occasions and were actually the first world champions in this format.
Who is West Indies T20 captain?
Rovman Powell is the captain of West Indies in the T20 format.
How many times has the West Indies beaten India in T20 World Cups?
West Indies have beaten India in three games out of four in T20 World Cups over the years. The only game they lost was in 2014 in Dhaka.
Who is the best player of West Indies for T20s?
Nicholas Pooran is the best player in the West Indies T20 side. Andre Russell is also a close contender.
Who is the best batsman against the West Indies for India in T20 WC?
Virat Kohli with 143 runs in two innings at an average of 143 is the best batter for India against West Indies in ICC T20 cricket World Cup.
