When the T20 format was announced, everyone knew that it would be the best format for the big hitters of the West Indian team. And that’s what they did by winning the T20 World Cup twice to become the first team to do so. West Indies made their debut in the shorter format with a match against New Zealand on February 16, 2006, in Auckland.
The Caribbean Team topped the T20I rankings for the first time on January 10, 2016. Before that, they won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016. Both wins came under the leadership of Darren Sammy. Though the current form of West Indian team is not as good as it used to be, the West Indies still produce some of the best T20 cricketers in the game.
T20 World Cup wins: 2012 and 2016
West Indies record in T20 internationals (Team Records)
- West Indies were the first team to win the T20 World Cup twice, in 2012 and 2016. Later, England became the second team to do so.
- The Caribbean Team registered the third-biggest T20I chase when they chased down 236/6 against South Africa in January 2015.
- West Indies hold the record for the joint-most sixes in a T20I inning. They smashed 22 sixes against South Africa when they made 258/5 in March 2023.
- The Caribbean team scored 200 runs from 17 fours and 22 sixes when they made 258/5 against South Africa, which is the third-highest number of runs in an inning from boundaries.
- The most runs by extras in an inning is 29, which came when West Indies made 131/7 against South Africa in January 2008.
- Former West Indian keeper Dinesh Ramdin holds the record for most stumpings in an inning. He dismissed four batters against Pakistan in April 2014.
West Indies record in T20 internationals (Players Records)
- Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hosein hold the record for the highest 9th wicket partnership (test-playing nations) off 72* against England in January 2022.
- Floyd Reifer was the oldest captain to make his T20I debut at the age of 37 years and 10 days among test-playing nations. He played his first game as captain against Bangladesh in August 2009.
- Kieron Pollard is only the second batter after Yuvraj Singh to smash six sixes in an over. He smashed Sri Lanka’s Akila Dananjaya for six sixes in an over in March 2021.
- Dwayne Smith holds the record for the highest strike rate in an inning in T20Is. He smashed 29 off 7 against Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup at a strike rate of 414.28.
- Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest T20I century in the T20 World Cup, off 47 balls against England in the 2016 edition.
- Gayle is the only player in the world to score two hundreds in T20 World Cup history.
- Johnson Charles’s 39-ball century against South Africa in March 2023 is the third-fastest T20I century in history.
- Gayle holds the record for most sixes in the T20 World Cup. He has hit 61 sixes in 31 innings in the World Cup, for 965 runs.
West Indies T20I Records vs other Teams
Winning two World Cups indicates how well this team has done in big tournaments. But it is also true that West Indies can be considered an unpredictable side, which can beat the opposition on their day but can also lose to anyone. The two-time champions have decent track records in the shorter format. Below, we will check West Indies’ record against test-playing nations.
Opponent | Mts | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | Win % |
Afghanistan | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 57.14 |
Australia | 19 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 52.63 |
Bangladesh | 16 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 64.28 |
England | 24 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 58.33 |
India | 25 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 29.16 |
Ireland | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 50.00 |
New Zealand | 19 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 32.35 |
Pakistan | 21 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 16.66 |
South Africa | 18 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 38.88 |
Sri Lanka | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 46.66 |
Zimbabwe | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |