India officially retained the number one position in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings following the annual update on May 5. The International Cricket Council released these fresh standings after the Indian team won their second consecutive T20 World Cup title in March.
Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, India now holds a comfortable lead with 275 ranking points. England follows in second place with 262 points, while Australia remains close in third with 258 points.
India Stays at the Top of T20 Cricket
The ICC released its annual report from its headquarters in Dubai, rewarding India for its historical achievements. India recently became the first team to win two T20 World Cups in a row. Furthermore, they became the first nation to win the tournament three times in total and the first to win it on home soil. This successful title defence against New Zealand in Ahmedabad cemented their place as the world’s best side.
India played 52 matches during the current ranking period to earn their 275-point rating. Although England improved their rating to 262 points, they could not displace the world champions. Therefore, India starts the new season as the top-ranked side in both Men’s T20Is and One Day Internationals.
How the ICC Annual Update Works
The ICC uses a specific mathematical system to decide the team rankings every year in May. This system gives more importance to recent matches to reflect a team’s current form. Currently, the ICC rates all matches played since May 2025 at 100% value. However, matches from the previous two years only count for 50% of their total value.
The weighting means a team’s performance over the past 12 months will have the biggest influence on where they are placed. Meanwhile, results before May 2023 no longer count at all in the rankings. India had a high average because they won nearly every series they played since the middle of 2024. The margin was reduced by one by England, but India’s consistent winning kept them safely at the top.
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How India Retained Their No.1 Spot
The 2026 ICC Men’s World Cup was not the only competition that brought them on top. After their 2024 victory, India were on a winning streak in all T20I series prior to the 2026 competition. The record includes challenging tours and home series against the best teams in the world.
India won 2-1 away series in Australia. They subsequently beat a strong South African side in a home series 3-1. They also won against New Zealand 4-1 in a five-match home series. They also won the Asia Cup 2025 title in September, which also contributed points to their tally.
During the recent World Cup, India won every game in the group stage, including a massive 61-run victory over their rivals, Pakistan. They continued this form through the Super 8 stage and defeated England in a high-scoring semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium. Finally, India beat New Zealand by 96 runs in the final match in Ahmedabad.
The Board of Cricket Council India (BCCI) shared a post congratulating Team India on retaining the number 1 position in the annual ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings.
ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings
| Position | Team | Matches Played | Rating Points |
| 1 | India | 52 | 275 |
| 2 | England | 34 | 262 |
| 3 | Australia | 35 | 258 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 50 | 247 |
| 5 | South Africa | 48 | 244 |
| 6 | Pakistan | 57 | 240 |
| 7 | West Indies | 53 | 233 |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 47 | 225 |
| 9 | Sri Lanka | 41 | 221 |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 36 | 220 |
T20I Individual Rankings
At the moment, there are two Indians at the top of the world’s batting charts. Abhishek Sharma is at the number one spot with a rating of 875. His teammate Ishan Kishan is second on the list with 871 points.
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan is the number-one-ranked T20I bowler. But the Indian bowlers are coming in fast. Jasprit Bumrah is fifth with a rating of 740, while Varun Chakravarthy moved to second place. India has been at the top of the team rankings for so long because of these great individual rankings.
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