ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings

ICC Men's T20 Team Rankings
Administrator	International Cricket Council
Creation	2011; 13 years ago
Number of teams	108 (Currently 95)
Current top ranking	India (270 rating)
Longest cumulative top ranking	India (1225 days)
Longest continuous; top ranking	India (997 days)
Highest rating	Pakistan (287 rating)
	Last updated on: 2 July 2024.

The ICC Men's T20 Team Rankings is an international Twenty20 cricket rankings system of the International Cricket Council.^[1] After every Twenty20 International (T20I) match, the two teams involved receive points based on a mathematical formula. The total of each team's points total is divided by the total number of matches to give a rating, and all teams are ranked on a table in order of rating.^[2] Teams need to have played at least eight T20I matches in the previous three to four years to remain in the rankings table.

World Champions India currently leads the ICC men's T20I team rankings, a position they have held since 21 February 2022.^[3]

Current rankings

ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings
v
t
e
Team	ICC Region	Matches	Points	Rating
India	Asia	70	18,747	268
Australia	East Asia-Pacific	48	12,417	259
England	Europe	45	11,497	255
West Indies	Americas	56	14,060	253
New Zealand	East Asia-Pacific	51	12,578	247
South Africa	Africa	44	10,770	245
Pakistan	Asia	49	11,719	239
Sri Lanka	Asia	45	10,467	233
Bangladesh	Asia	53	11,898	224
Afghanistan	Asia	39	8,682	223
Ireland	Europe	49	9,629	197
Zimbabwe	Africa	51	9,915	194
Scotland	Europe	27	5,151	191
Netherlands	Europe	28	5,131	183
Namibia	Africa	41	7,456	183
United Arab Emirates	Asia	46	8,198	178
Nepal	Asia	46	7,852	171
United States	Americas	30	5,010	167
Oman	Asia	45	7,194	160
Papua New Guinea	East Asia-Pacific	31	4,472	144
Canada	Americas	28	3,914	140
Uganda	Africa	64	8,592	134
Hong Kong	Asia	47	6,173	131
Kuwait	Asia	41	5,087	124
Malaysia	Asia	50	6,123	122
Bahrain	Asia	36	4,299	119
Jersey	Europe	26	3,063	118
Qatar	Asia	23	2,598	113
Spain	Europe	22	2,442	111
Italy	Europe	18	1,944	108
Bermuda	Americas	11	1,185	108
Kenya	Africa	56	5,870	105
Saudi Arabia	Asia	30	3,142	105
Tanzania	Africa	47	4,301	92
Germany	Europe	32	2,860	89
Nigeria	Africa	34	2,711	80
Guernsey	Americas	23	1,759	76
Singapore	Asia	29	2,217	76
Norway	Europe	20	1,444	72
Cayman Islands	Americas	9	646	72
Denmark	Europe	25	1,711	68
Cambodia	Asia	22	1,471	67
Portugal	Europe	17	1,071	63
Isle of Man	Europe	14	857	61
Japan	Asia	36	2,174	60
Belgium	Europe	29	1,710	59
Austria	Europe	30	1,691	56
France	Europe	24	1,325	55
Switzerland	Europe	17	934	55
Botswana	Africa	24	1,298	54
Cook Islands	East Asia-Pacific	9	426	47
Romania	Europe	28	1,316	47
Malawi	Africa	30	1,369	46
Sweden	Europe	17	770	45
Finland	Europe	21	950	45
Argentina	Americas	9	407	45
Czech Republic	Europe	19	809	43
Thailand	East Asia-Pacific	28	1,133	40
Vanuatu	East Asia-Pacific	22	884	40
Philippines	East Asia-Pacific	24	894	37
Mozambique	Africa	21	751	36
Fiji	East Asia-Pacific	11	387	35
Rwanda	Africa	73	2,416	33
Samoa	East Asia-Pacific	11	357	32
Ghana	Africa	33	1,045	32
Estonia	Africa	19	597	31
Indonesia	East Asia-Pacific	45	1,394	31
Luxembourg	Europe	28	753	27
Sierra Leone	Europe	25	651	26
Malta	Africa	46	1,191	26
Israel	Europe	7	178	25
Bahamas	Americas	8	191	24
Gibraltar	Europe	31	615	20
Hungary	Europe	17	336	20
Slovenia	Europe	8	150	19
Panama	Americas	9	157	17
Bhutan	Asia	21	338	16
Cyprus	Europe	17	272	16
Mexico	Americas	9	131	15
Croatia	Europe	17	167	10
Maldives	Asia	31	234	8
Eswatini	Africa	17	118	7
Cameroon	Africa	15	99	7
China	Asia	11	53	5
Bulgaria	Europe	25	96	4
Serbia	Europe	22	70	3
Lesotho	Africa	16	3	0
Mongolia	Asia	14	0	0
Turkey	Europe	9	0	0
South Korea	East Asia-Pacific	8	0	0
Seychelles	Africa	10	0	0
Myanmar	Asia	18	0	0
Mali	Africa	11	0	0
Greece	Europe	8	0	0
Gambia	Africa	9	0	0
References: ICC T20I rankings, As of 18 November 2024
"Matches" is the number of matches played in the 12–24 months since the May before last, plus half the number in the 24 months before that.

Points calculations

Time period

Each team scores points based on the results of their matches over the last 3−4 years − the matches played in the 12–24 months since the May before last, plus the matches played in the 24 months before that, for which the matches played and points earned both count half. For example:

	May 2010		May 2011		May 2012		May 2013		May 2014	May 2015

Between May 2013 and April 2014:		Results that were achieved during this period have 50% weighting				Results that were achieved during this period have 100% weighting

Between May 2014 and April 2015:				Results that were achieved during this period have 50% weighting				Results that were achieved during this period have 100% weighting

Each May, the matches and points earned between 3 and 4 years ago are removed, and the matches and points earned between 1 and 2 years ago switch from 100% weighting to 50% weighting. For example, on 1 May 2014, the matches played between May 2010 and April 2011 were removed, and the matches played between May 2012 and April 2013 switched to 50% weighting (the matches from May 2011 to April 2012 would have already been at 50% following the previous rerating). This happens overnight, so can result in teams changing positions in the ranking table despite no one playing.

Find the points earned from a match

Each time two teams play another match, the rankings table is updated as follows, based on the ratings of the teams immediately before they played. To determine the teams' new ratings after a particular match, first calculate the points earned from the match:

If the gap between the ratings of the two teams before the match was less than 40 points, then points will be as follows:

Match result	Points earned
Win	Opponent's rating + 50
Tie	Opponent's rating
Lose	Opponent's rating − 50

If the gap between the ratings of the two teams before the match was at least 40 points, then points will be as follows:

Match result	Points earned
Stronger team wins	Own rating + 10
Weaker team loses	Own rating − 10
Stronger team ties	Own rating − 40
Weaker team ties	Own rating + 40
Stronger team loses	Own rating − 90
Weaker team wins	Own rating + 90

Example

Suppose Team A, with an initial rating of 100, plays Team B. The table shows the points awarded to the two teams for 9 different initial ratings for B (ranging from 20 to 160), and the three possible match results.

Initial ratings		Scenario	Team A wins & Team B loses. Points earned:				Match tied. Points earned:				Team A loses & Team B wins. Points earned:				Total initial ratings	Total points earned (All 3 results)
Team A	Team B	Scenario	Team A		Team B		Team A		Team B		Team A		Team B		Total initial ratings	Total points earned (All 3 results)
100	20	Initial ratings at least 40 points apart	Stronger team wins: Own rating + 10	110	Weaker team loses: Own rating − 10	10	Stronger team ties: Own rating − 40	60	Weaker team ties: Own rating + 40	60	Stronger team loses: Own rating − 90	10	Weaker team wins: Own rating + 90	110	120	120
100	40			110		30		60		80		10		130	140	140
100	60			110		50		60		100		10		150	160	160
100	70	Initial ratings less than 40 points apart	Win: Opponent's rating + 50	120	Lose: Opponent's rating − 50	50	Tie: Opponent's rating	70	Tie: Opponent's rating	100	Lose: Opponent's rating − 50	20	Win: Opponent's rating + 50	150	170	170
100	90			140		50		90		100		40		150	190	190
100	110			160		50		110		100		60		150	210	210
100	130			180		50		130		100		80		150	230	230
100	140	Initial ratings at least 40 points apart	Weaker team wins: Own rating + 90	190	Stronger team loses: Own rating − 90	50	Weaker team ties: Own rating + 40	140	Stronger team ties: Own rating − 40	100	Weaker team loses: Own rating − 10	90	Stronger team wins: Own rating + 10	150	240	240
100	160	Initial ratings at least 40 points apart		190	Stronger team loses: Own rating − 90	70	Weaker team ties: Own rating + 40	140	Stronger team ties: Own rating − 40	120	Weaker team loses: Own rating − 10	90	Stronger team wins: Own rating + 10	170	260	260

This illustrates that:

The winning team earns more points than the losing team. (Unless the ratings are more than 180 apart and the weaker team wins − highly unlikely.)
Winning always earns a team 100 points more than losing, and 50 more than tying.
The total points earned by the two teams is always the same as the total initial ratings of the two teams.
The points earned by a winning team increases as the initial rating (quality) of the opposition increases, within the constraints of earning at least its own initial rating + 10, and no more than its own initial rating + 90. A winning team therefore always earns more points than its initial rating, increasing its overall average rating.
The points earned by a losing team increases as the initial rating (quality) of the opposition increases, within the constraints of earning at least its own initial rating − 90, and no more than its own initial rating − 10. A losing team therefore always earns fewer points than its initial rating, decreasing its overall average rating.
In a tie, the weaker team usually earns more points than the stronger team (unless the initial ratings are at least 80 apart), reflecting the fact that a tie is a better result for the weaker team than the stronger team. Also, the stronger team will earn fewer points than its initial rating, decreasing its average, and the weaker team more points that its initial rating, increasing its average.
For a given result, the rule of how the two teams' points are calculated changes as the initial ratings change, from being based on teams' own ratings when one team is far stronger, to being based on the opponent's ratings when the teams are closely matched, back to being based on own ratings when the other team is far stronger. However, despite these sudden changes in the rule, the number of points awarded for each result changes smoothly as the initial ratings change.

Find the new ratings

Each team's rating is equal to its total points scored divided by the total matches played. (Series are not significant in these calculations).
Add the match points scored to the points already scored (in previous matches as reflected by the table), add one to the number of matches played, and determine the new rating.
Points earned by teams depend on the opponent's ratings, therefore this system needed to assign base ratings to teams when it started.

Historical rankings

This table lists the teams that have historically held the highest rating since the T20I rankings was introduced.^{[citation needed]} In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full T20I status to all its members. As a result, ratings of leading teams since 2018 have been considerably higher, and cannot be directly compared to those before that date.

Country	Start	End	Duration	Cumulative Days	Highest Rating
England	24 October 2011^[4]	7 August 2012^[5]	289	289	140
South Africa	8 August 2012	11 September 2012	35	35	137
England	12 September 2012	21 September 2012	10	299	130
South Africa	22 September 2012	28 September 2012	7	42	134
Sri Lanka	29 September 2012	27 March 2014	545	545	134
India	28 March 2014	2 April 2014	6	6	130
Sri Lanka	3 April 2014	3 April 2014	1	546	131
India	4 April 2014	5 April 2014	2	8	132
Sri Lanka	6 April 2014	30 April 2014	25	571	133
India	1 May 2014	6 September 2014	129	137	131
Sri Lanka	7 September 2014	9 January 2016	490	1061	135
West Indies	10 January 2016	30 January 2016	21	21	118
India	31 January 2016	8 February 2016	9	146	120
Sri Lanka	9 February 2016	11 February 2016	3	1064	121
India	12 February 2016	3 May 2016	82	228	127
New Zealand	4 May 2016	31 October 2017	546	546	132
Pakistan	1 November 2017	3 November 2017	3	3	124
New Zealand	4 November 2017	6 November 2017	3	549	124
Pakistan	7 November 2017	2 January 2018	57	60	124
New Zealand	3 January 2018	27 January 2018	25	574	128
Pakistan	28 January 2018	30 April 2020	824	884	286
Australia	1 May 2020	5 September 2020	128	128	278
England	6 September 2020	7 September 2020	2	301	273
Australia	8 September 2020	30 November 2020	84	212	275
England	1 December 2020	20 February 2022	447	748	278
India	21 February 2022	Present	1,005	1,005	270
Last updated 08 July 2024

Summary

The summary of teams that have held the highest rating by days, are:

Team	Total Days	Highest Rating
India	1,005	270
Sri Lanka	1064	135
Pakistan	884	286
England	748	278
New Zealand	574	132
Australia	212	278
South Africa	42	137
West Indies	21	118

Top ranked teams in the 'ICC Annual Rankings' every year :

Ranking Leaders
ICC Men's T20 World Rankings
Year	Top team
2011	England
2012	England
2013	Sri Lanka
2014
2015
2016	New Zealand
2017	New Zealand
2018	Pakistan
2019	Pakistan
2020	Australia
2021	England
2022	India
2023
2024

References

^ "Twenty20 rankings launched with England on top". 24 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
^ "David Richardson previews the release of the Reliance ICC T20I Rankings". Retrieved 24 October 2011.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "ICC Ranking for T20 teams International Cricket Council". www.icc-cricket.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
^ "ICC rankings - ICC Test, ODI and Twenty20 rankings". 25 October 2011. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
^ "England rise to No.1 in ODIs". ESPNcricinfo. 8 August 2012.

External links