Twenty20 International

Cricket itself was probably first played in England in the Late Middle Ages, but it did not rise to prominence until the eighteenth century. A set of laws were drawn up in 1744, and the game achieved a level of relative standardisation by the late nineteenth century.{{cite book |title=A Social History of English Cricket |last=Birley |first=Derek |author-link=Derek Birley |year=2003 |orig-year=1999 |publisher=Aurum Press |isbn=1-85410-941-3 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/socialhistoryofe0000birl/page/3 3–107] |url=https://archive.org/details/socialhistoryofe0000birl/page/3 }} One-day cricket was trialled in 1962, and the first domestic tournament played the following year,{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/510124.html |title=The low-key birth of one-day cricket |last=Williamson |first=Martin |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=9 April 2011 |access-date=3 February 2015}} and in 1971, England and Australia contested the first One Day International. The match consisted of one innings for each side, with 40 eight-ball overs.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/464234.html |title=The birth of the one-day international |last=Williamson |first=Martin |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=3 February 2015|date=22 June 2010 }}

In the 1990s, a number of countries were exploring the possibility of a shorter game still: in New Zealand, Martin Crowe developed Cricket Max, in which each team bats for 10 eight-ball overs,{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/67577.html |title=Cricket Max – The Game Invented By Martin Crowe |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=2 February 1996 |access-date=3 February 2015}} while in Australia they considered an eight-a-side contest they dubbed "Super 8s". At the same time, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) conducted consumer research, and proposed the idea of a 20 overs-per-side contest, which would last for about three hours.{{cite web |url=http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/england/england-archive/icc-world-twenty20-2009/history/ |title=History of Twenty20 cricket |publisher=England and Wales Cricket Board |access-date=3 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203150110/http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/england/england-archive/icc-world-twenty20-2009/history/ |archive-date=3 February 2015}} The first match was played in 2003 between Hampshire and Sussex.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

The first Twenty20 International match between two men's sides was played on 17 February 2005, involving Australia and New Zealand. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack reported that "neither side took the game especially seriously",{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/288833.html |title=New Zealand v Australia |last=Ramsay |first=Andrew |year=2006 |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 January 2015}} and it was noted by ESPNcricinfo that but for a large score for Ricky Ponting, "the concept would have shuddered".{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/144657.html |title=Saved by Private Ricky |last=English |first=Peter |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=18 February 2005 |access-date=30 January 2015}} However, Ponting himself said "if it does become an international game then I'm sure the novelty won't be there all the time".{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/149574.html |title=South Africa's Superman |access-date=17 February 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=17 May 2006 }}

Two further matches were played that year; England beat Australia in June, and South Africa were defeated by New Zealand in October.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/match_results.html?class=3;id=2005;type=year |title=Records / 2005 / Twenty20 Internationals / Match results |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 January 2015}} Early the following year, a contest between New Zealand and the West Indies finished as the first tied match, and a tiebreak was played for the first time in men's international cricket: the two sides took part in a bowl-out to determine a winner; New Zealand won 3–0.{{cite web|url=http://www.icc-europe.org/newsdetails.php?newsId=7527_1230249600 |title=WI beat NZ in historical tiebreaker |publisher=International Cricket Council |date=26 December 2008 |access-date=30 January 2015}}

The game had initially been developed to boost the interest in domestic cricket, and to aid this the international teams were only allowed to host three T20Is each year. The cricket manager for the ICC, David Richardson, also commented that "Part of the success of Twenty20 cricket is making sure it can coexist with Test cricket and one-dayers."{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdencricketer/content/story/286573.html |title=Is twenty plenty? |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=24 March 2007 |access-date=30 January 2015}} Despite this, the first international tournament was held in 2007 in South Africa; the 2007 ICC World Twenty20. That tournament was won by India, who defeated their close rivals Pakistan in the final. Writing for The Guardian, Dilip Premachandran suggested that the competition's success meant that "the format is here to stay".{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/sep/26/cricket.worldtwenty202007 |title=Great win, but easy on the chest-thumping |last=Premachandran |first=Dileep |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=26 September 2007 |access-date=3 February 2015}} The next tournament was scheduled for 2009, and it was decided that they would take place biannually (more frequently than the 50 over Cricket World Cup, which occurs once every four years).{{cite web|url=http://www.icc-europe.org/tournaments/global_tour.php |title=Global Tournaments |publisher=International Cricket Council |access-date=3 February 2015}} In the opening match of the 2007 World Twenty20, Chris Gayle scored the first century in a T20I, the achievement being reached in the twentieth match of the format.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/twenty20wc/content/story/310526.html |title=Gayle and Gibbs run riot |last1=Gopalakrishna |first1=HR |last2=Vaghese |first2=Mathew |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=11 September 2007 |access-date=3 February 2015}}

The 500th T20I match was contested between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on 16 February 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricket.com.au/news/500-t20-internationals-most-runs-wickets-sixes-hat-tricks-catches-mathes-afridi-finch-mendis/2016-02-17 |title=(500) games of T20I cricket |access-date=18 February 2016 |work=cricket.com.au}}

ICC decided to use Decision Review System (DRS) in Twenty20 Internationals from the end of September 2017,{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/18629591/uniform-drs-likely-october|title=Uniform DRS likely from October|date=6 February 2017|website=ESPNcricinfo}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/sports/report-icc-takes-a-huge-decision-which-may-slow-down-t20s-2312355|title=ICC takes a huge decision which may slow down T20s|date=4 February 2017|website=DNA India}} with its first use in the India-Australia T20I series in October 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/20950249/australia-denied-advantage-new-rules|title=Australia denied advantage of new rules|date=8 October 2017|website=ESPNcricinfo}}

[[File:International Cricket Council members (by status) Current.svg|thumb|300x300px|Current ICC members by membership status:
{{Color box|#ff0000|border=silver}} Full members (12)

{{Color box|#ff6600|border=silver}} Associate members with ODI status (8)

{{Color box|#ff9900|border=silver}} Associate members (85)

{{Color box|#333333|border=silver}} Former members (4)

{{Color box|silver|border=silver}} Non-members]]

{{ICC T20I Championship rankings}}

Prior to 2019, permanent T20I status was limited to the Test-playing nations (the full members of the ICC), which included 12 teams after the promotion of Afghanistan and Ireland to full member status in 2017. In April 2018, the ICC announced that it would grant T20I status to all of its 105 members from 1 January 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/672322 |title=All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=26 April 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23324980/t20s-all-icc-members-international-status|title=T20s between all ICC members to have international status|date=26 April 2018|website=ESPNcricinfo}}{{cite web|title=T20s between all ICC members to have international status|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23324980/t20s-all-icc-members-international-status|work=ESPNcricinfo|date=27 April 2018|access-date=26 February 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116163436/http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23324980/t20s-all-icc-members-international-status|archive-date=16 November 2018}} Nations that have played T20I cricket are listed below, with the date of their first T20I after gaining permanent T20I status shown in brackets (teams in italics had previously played T20Is with temporary status):

{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|

1. {{cr|AUS}} (17 February 2005)
2. {{cr|NZ}} (17 February 2005)
3. {{cr|ENG}} (13 June 2005)
4. {{cr|SA}} (21 October 2005)
5. {{cr|WIN}} (16 February 2006)
6. {{cr|SL}} (15 June 2006)
7. {{cr|PAK}} (28 August 2006)
8. {{cr|BAN}} (28 November 2006)
9. {{cr|ZIM}} (28 November 2006)
10. {{cr|IND}} (1 December 2006)
11. {{cr|AFG|2013}} (5 February 2018)
12. {{cr|IRE}} (12 June 2018)
13. {{cr|BHR}} (20 January 2019)
14. {{cr|KUW}} (20 January 2019)
15. {{cr|MDV}} (20 January 2019)
16. {{cr|SAU}} (20 January 2019)
17. {{cr|QAT}} (21 January 2019)
18. {{cr|NEP}} (31 January 2019)
19. {{cr|UAE}} (31 January 2019)
20. {{cr|NED}} (13 February 2019)
21. {{cr|OMA}} (13 February 2019)
22. {{cr|SCO}} (13 February 2019)
23. {{cr|USA}} (15 March 2019)
24. {{cr|PNG}} (22 March 2019)
25. {{cr|PHI}} (22 March 2019)
26. {{cr|VAN}} (22 March 2019)
27. {{cr|MLT}} (29 March 2019)
28. {{cr|ESP}} (29 March 2019)
29. {{cr|BLZ}} (25 April 2019)
30. {{cr|CRC}} (25 April 2019)
31. {{cr|MEX}} (25 April 2019)
32. {{cr|PAN}} (25 April 2019)
33. {{cr|BEL}} (11 May 2019)
34. {{cr|GER}} (11 May 2019)
35. {{cr|BOT}} (20 May 2019)
36. {{cr|GHA}} (20 May 2019)
37. {{cr|KEN}} (20 May 2019)
38. {{cr|NAM}} (20 May 2019)
39. {{cr|NGA}} (20 May 2019)
40. {{cr|UGA}} (20 May 2019)
41. {{cr|ITA}} (25 May 2019)
42. {{cr|GUE}} (31 May 2019)
43. {{cr|JER}} (31 May 2019)
44. {{cr|NOR}} (15 June 2019)
45. {{cr|DEN}} (16 June 2019)
46. {{cr|MAS}} (24 June 2019)
47. {{cr|THA}} (24 June 2019)
48. {{cr|SAM}} (8 July 2019)
49. {{cr|FIN}} (13 July 2019)
50. {{cr|SIN}} (22 July 2019)
51. {{cr|BER}} (18 August 2019)
52. {{cr|CAN}} (18 August 2019)
53. {{cr|CAY}} (18 August 2019)
54. {{cr|AUT}} (29 August 2019)
55. {{cr|LUX}} (29 August 2019)
56. {{cr|ROM}} (29 August 2019)
57. {{cr|TUR}} (29 August 2019)
58. {{cr|CZE}} (30 August 2019)
59. {{cr|ARG}} (3 October 2019)
60. {{cr|BRA}} (3 October 2019)
61. {{cr|CHI}} (3 October 2019)
62. {{cr|PER}} (3 October 2019)
63. {{cr|HK}} (5 October 2019)
64. {{cr|BUL}} (14 October 2019)
65. {{cr|SRB}} (14 October 2019)
66. {{cr|GRE}} (15 October 2019)
67. {{cr|POR}} (25 October 2019)
68. {{cr|GIB}} (26 October 2019)
69. {{cr|MWI}} (6 November 2019)
70. {{cr|MOZ}} (6 November 2019)
71. {{cr|BHU}} (5 December 2019)
72. {{cr|IRN}} (23 February 2020)
73. {{cr|IOM}} (21 August 2020)
74. {{cr|FRA}} (5 August 2021)
75. {{cr|SWE}} (14 August 2021)
76. {{cr|RWA}} (18 August 2021)
77. {{cr|HUN}} (2 September 2021)
78. {{cr|CYP}} (5 October 2021)
79. {{cr|EST}} (5 October 2021)
80. {{cr|ESW}} (16 October 2021)
81. {{cr|LES}} (16 October 2021)
82. {{cr|SEY}} (16 October 2021)
83. {{cr|SLE}} (19 October 2021)
84. {{cr|SUI}} (22 October 2021)
85. {{cr|TAN}} (2 November 2021)
86. {{cr|CMR}} (3 November 2021)
87. {{cr|BAH}} (7 November 2021)
88. {{cr|ISR}} (28 June 2022)
89. {{cr|CRO}} (13 July 2022)
90. {{cr|SVN}} (25 July 2022)
91. {{cr|COK}} (9 September 2022)
92. {{cr|FIJ}} (9 September 2022)
93. {{cr|IDN}} (9 October 2022)
94. {{cr|JPN}} (9 October 2022)
95. {{cr|KOR}} (15 October 2022)
96. {{cr|MLI}} (17 November 2022)
97. {{cr|Saint Helena}} (17 November 2022)
98. {{cr|GAM}} (1 December 2022)
99. {{cr|CAM}} (4 May 2023)
100. {{cr|CHN}} (26 July 2023)
101. {{cr|MYA}} (26 July 2023)
102. {{cr|MGL}} (27 September 2023)
103. {{cr|CIV}} (23 November 2024)
104. {{cr|SUR}} (6 December 2024)
105. {{cr|FLK}} (10 March 2025)
106. {{cr|TCA}} (17 April 2025)

}}

Between 2005 and 2018, the ICC granted temporary ODI and T20I status to a selection of other teams (known as Associate members). Teams earned this temporary status for a period of four years based on their performance in the quadrennial ICC World Cricket League – or, more specifically, based on the top six finishing positions at the ICC World Cup Qualifier, which is the final event of the World Cricket League.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/756175.html|title=Nepal, Netherlands get T20 international status|date=28 June 2014|website=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=1 June 2019}} Teams could also earn this status by qualifying for the ICC T20 World Cup.

Twelve nations held this temporary T20I status before gaining permanent T20I status or losing status after underperforming at the World Cup Qualifier or World Twenty20 Qualifier (dates shown are for the first and last matches played while holding temporary T20I status, not when this status was gained, lost or changed to permanent):

• {{cr|KEN}} (from 1 September 2007, until 30 January 2014)
• {{cr|SCO}} (from 12 September 2007, until 20 June 2018)
• {{cr|IRE}} (from 2 August 2008, until 12 March 2017)
• {{cr|NED}} (from 2 August 2008, until 29 July 2018)
• {{cr|CAN}} (from 2 August 2008, until 28 January 2014)
• {{cr|BER}} (from 3 August 2008, until 8 April 2009)
• {{cr|AFG|2013}} (from 1 February 2010, until 5 June 2017)
• {{cr|NEP}} (from 16 March 2014, until 29 July 2018)
• {{cr|HK}} (from 16 March 2014, until 18 January 2017)
• {{cr|UAE}} (from 17 March 2014, until 22 October 2018)
• {{cr|PNG}} (from 13 July 2015, until 17 March 2018)
• {{cr|OMA}} (from 25 July 2015, until 19 January 2017)

The ICC has also given special T20I status to the ICC World XI team for:

• The 2017 Independence Cup, a three match series versus Pakistan national team to help revive international cricket in Pakistan.{{cite web|title=ICC confirms plans for World XI tour to Pakistan for three-game T20 series in September|url=https://www.firstpost.com/firstcricket/icc-confirms-plans-for-world-xi-tour-to-pakistan-for-three-game-t20-series-in-september-3740629.html|publisher=Firstpost|date=24 June 2017|access-date=18 April 2018}}
• The Hurricane Relief T20 Challenge, a one-off match against West Indies on 31 May 2018, to raise funds for stadiums damaged by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria in September 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22429703/west-indies-rest-world-xi-play-fundraising-t20i |title=West Indies, Rest of the World XI to play fundraising T20I |access-date=21 April 2018 |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=14 February 2018 }}

Cricket was played as part of the 1900 Summer Olympics, when England and France contested a two-day match.{{cite journal |last=Buchanan |first=Ian |year=1993 |title=Cricket at the 1900 Games |journal=Journal of Olympic History |volume=1 |issue=2 |page=4 |publisher=International Society of Olympic Historians |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n2/JOHv1n2c.pdf |editor1-first=Bill |editor1-last=Mallon |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907211250/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/JOH/JOHv1n2/JOHv1n2c.pdf |archive-date=7 September 2008 |url-status=dead }} In 1998, cricket was played as part of the Commonwealth Games, on this occasion in the 50-over format. There was some talk about Twenty20 cricket being part of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which were held in Delhi, but at the time the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), were not in favour of the short format of the game, and it was not included.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/234191.html |title=Cricket unlikely at 2010 Games |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=23 January 2006 |access-date=3 February 2015}}

Cricket was played in 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/series/485152.html|title=Asian Games Men's Cricket Competition|website=ESPNcricinfo}} and 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/series/777895.html|title=Asian Games Men's Cricket Competition|website=ESPNcricinfo}} India skipped both times.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/766247.html|title=India to skip Asian Games again|date=1 August 2014|website=ESPNcricinfo}} There was further calls for subsequent Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games. The Commonwealth Games Federation asked the ICC to participate in the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games, but the ICC turned down the invitation.{{cite web|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/sport-games-cricket-idINKBN0FT0KW20140724 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306050018/http://in.reuters.com/article/sport-games-cricket-idINKBN0FT0KW20140724 |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 March 2016 |title=ICC rejects 2018 offer, cricket stays out of Commonwealth Games |publisher=Reuters |date=24 July 2014 |access-date=3 February 2015}} In 2010, the International Olympic Committee recognised the International Cricket Council as a governing body that complied to the requirements of the Olympic charter which in turn meant that cricket could apply to be included in the Olympic Games,{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/447930.html |title=Cricket gets Olympic approval |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=12 February 2010 |access-date=3 February 2015}} but in 2013 the ICC announced that it had no intentions to make such an application, primarily due to opposition from the BCCI. ESPNcricinfo suggested that the opposition might be based on the possible loss of income.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} In April 2016, ICC chief executive David Richardson said that Twenty20 cricket can have a chance of getting in for the 2024 Summer Games, but there must be collective support shown by the ICC's membership base, in particular from BCCI, in order for there to be a chance of inclusion.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/content/story/994995.html|title=ICC's Richardson wants more teams in World T20|date=3 April 2016|website=ESPNcricinfo}}

{{main|List of Twenty20 International records}}

{{main|List of five-wicket hauls in Twenty20 International cricket}}

Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell are the only players to score 5 T20I tons.

The highest team total in a T20I was made by Zimbabwe versus Gambia when they scored 344/4.{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283218.html |title=Records / Twenty20 Internationals / Team records / Highest innings totals |work=www.espncricinfo.com }} The lowest total was recorded in 2024, when Nigeria bowled out Ivory Coast for just 7 runs.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283172.html |title=Records / Twenty20 Internationals / Team records / Lowest innings totals |work=www.espncricinfo.com |access-date=13 May 2024}} The highest successful chase was made in March 2023, when South Africa scored 259 runs to overhaul West Indies's target and win the match.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?batting_fielding_first=2;class=3;filter=advanced;innings_number=2;orderby=team_score;result=1;template=results;type=team;view=innings |title=Statistics / Statsguru / Twenty20 Internationals / Team records |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=26 September 2020}}

{{As of|2024|06}}, Rohit Sharma has scored the most runs in the format.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/records/content/records/282827.html |title=Records / Twenty20 Internationals / Batting records / Most runs in career |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=26 September 2020}} Aaron Finch has made the highest individual score in T20Is, with his innings of 172 against Zimbabwe in 2018.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/records/content/records/284262.html |title=Records / Twenty20 Internationals / Batting records / Most runs in an innings |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=26 September 2020}} New Zealand bowler Tim Southee holds the records for the most wickets taken in the format.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283194.html |title=Records / Twenty20 Internatioոals / Bowling records / Most wickets in career |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=26 September 2020}}

• List of International Cricket Council members
• Women's Twenty20 International

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Forms of cricket}}

{{International cricket}}

*

*