Team India suffered yet another defeat in an ICC final on Sunday. They faced Australia in the World Test Championship final 2023 and lost to end as runners-up. This has been the same old story with the Indian team from last decade. India has played a number of semi-finals and finals in ICC events but has not gone beyond.
Not just India, there have been a number of teams that have played in the final of an ICC tournament but have ended in the losing position. Australia is the most successful team with 10 ICC titles in men’s cricket. But do you know who are the most unluckiest teams. This article will feature list of teams with most defeats in an ICC final.
List of Teams that have lost most ICC Trophy
| Team | ODI WC | Champions Trophy | T20 WC | WTC | Total |
| India | 2003, 2023 | 2003, 2017 | 2014 | 2021, 2023 | 7 |
| England | 1979, 1987, 1992 | 2004, 2013 | 2016 | —- | 6 |
| New Zealand | 2015, 2019 | 2009, 2025 | 2021 | – | 5 |
| Sri Lanka | 2007, 2011 | —- | 2009, 2012 | —- | 4 |
| Australia | 1975, 1996 | —- | 2010 | 2025 | 4 |
| West Indies | 1983 | 1998, 2006 | —- | —- | 4 |
| Pakistan | 1999 | —- | 2007, 2022 | —- | 3 |
| South Africa | – | – | 2024 | – | 1 |
6. West Indies – 3
West Indies made history by winning the first two editions of the ODI World Cup in 1975 and 1979. But they couldn’t complete their hat-trick and lost to India in the final of the 1983 ODI World Cup. But they have also won the T20 World Cup twice, in 2012 and 2016. Their other two losses in the finals came in the 1998 and 2006 editions of the Champions Trophy.
5. Australia – 4
Well, the world’s best team has also lost three ICC finals. Australia is the most successful team in this sport, with nine ICC titles across all formats. But they lost four ICC finals as well. They lost the finals of the 1975 and 1996 ODI World Cups against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, respectively. Then they lost the final of the 2010 T20 World Cup against England. Recently they lost the World Test Championship final against South Africa in 2025.
4. Sri Lanka – 4
Sri Lanka is a strong team when it comes to ICC events. They have won all three major ICC white-ball tournaments in their history. Sri Lanka has won the 1996 ODI WC, 2014 T20 WC and 2002 Champions Trophy. But they have also lost four ICC finals. They lost the finals of 2007 and 2011 ODI WC against Australia and India. Sri Lanka has also ended as runners-up in 2009 and 2012 T20 World Cups, losing to Pakistan and West Indies, respectively.
3. New Zealand – 5
New Zealand has yet to win an ICC event when it comes to World Cups. But they won the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship in 2021, beating India in the final. But apart from that, they played the finals of three of the last four white-ball World Cups. In 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cups, they lost the final against Australia and England. Then, they lost to Australia again in the 2021 T20 World Cup final.
2. England – 6
England is the oldest team in the history of the cricket but they won their three ICC titles in the 21st century. The English team won the 2010 and 2023 T20 World Cups and also won the 2019 ODI World Cup. But apart from that, they have lost six ICC finals in their history. England lost the finals of ODI World Cups in 1979, 1987 and 1992 against West Indies, Australia and Pakistan, respectively. They lost the finals of 2004 and 2013 Champions Trophy. Their loss in the 2016 T20 World Cup final came against West Indies.
1. India – 7
India’s recent loss in the CWC final 2023 against Australia was their 7th defeat in an ICC final. After Australia (13), India has played the most ICC finals in the history. They have played 12 finals and won five of them and lost seven. India has lost the finals of 2003 Champions Trophy against New Zealand and 2017 against Pakistan. They lost the 2023 ODI WC final against Australia and the final of 2014 T20 WC against Sri Lanka. Apart from that, India has lost consecutive finals of WTC in 2021 and 2023 against New Zealand and Australia.