The 2026 T20 World Cup began on the 7th of February and will run until the 8th of March. As in 2024, when India prevailed, there will be 20 teams and 55 matches in total across the whole tournament. As with other ICC competitions and in events in other sports, it has expanded over the years. It has generally been the case, no matter which tournament we are talking about, that the response to this has been mixed.
On the one hand, allowing smaller nations to compete helps grow the game, gives lesser players a chance to improve by playing against the best in the world and also offers minnows a chance to live their dreams, competing against cricket legends in packed stadia. However, not everyone sees it that way.
Critics argue that such expanded tournaments lead to bloating, an excessive number of fixtures, frequent mismatches and too many pointless games. Moreover, it is suggested that it is almost impossible for the big sides to fail to make it through to the latter stages.
Can England Defy the Odds… in All the Wrong Ways?
Ready to go in our second group game of the #T20WorldCup 🔥
Come on, lads! 💪 pic.twitter.com/qa84PAfWhp
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 11, 2026
There have been nine previous editions of the T20 World Cup, the first coming in 2007. India won then, and also in 2024, while England and the West Indies have both come out on top twice. Those three were among the pre-tournament contenders, with Australia, winners in 2021, South Africa, and New Zealand also well fancied.
England raised the bar in white-ball cricket not that long ago and won the 2019 50-over World Cup, as well as the 2022 edition of this tournament. In more recent years they have slumped, as some key players left the squad and other nations caught up with their powerful hitting.
However, despite their recent issues in limited-overs cricket, dismal Ashes Down Under and a number of off-field incidents, they had actually put together a decent run of results in T20 cricket. Ahead of the tournament in India and Sri Lanka, they had won 10 of their previous 11 matches.
With Harry Brook at the helm, they had been developing nicely and were well fancied to go well. That they warmed up with a 3-0 win over Sri Lanka was a big positive, but thus far their tournament has not gone as planned.
England’s Struggles
Drawn in Group C alongside West Indies, Nepal, Italy and Scotland, Brook’s charges were fully expected to finish in the top two and book a place in the Super 8 stage of the World Cup. England opened with a game against Nepal in Mumbai, and almost straight away it became clear they would face a stiffer test than many fans may have expected.
They won the toss and batted, making a solid-looking 184/7 after having been 5/1, 43/2 and 57/3. A knock of 39 off 18 balls at the end from Will Jacks took them to a score that was close to par, but when Nepal raced to 37 without loss inside four overs it seemed England could be up against it.
They hit back, though, taking wickets, and seemed almost home when the expensive Jofra Archer dismissed Aarif Sheikh to leave the underdogs 146/5 from 17.2 overs. Some lusty late hitting saw it go to the wire and in the end, Sam Curran did very well to defend 10 off the last over. It went to the final ball, but England won by four runs. Too close for comfort or job done, depending on your point of view.
Next up came the toughest test of the group on paper and a clash against the West Indies. The game was again in Mumbai and England once more won the toss, this time fielding. Brook’s team struck twice early but Sherfane Rutherford’s 76 not out from 42 balls and 33 off 17 from Jason Holder propelled the Windies to 196/6.
Archer was once again very expensive, going for 48 from four overs and taking just one wicket. Curran also went at 12 an over and Jacks at 16 (from two overs). In reply, England started well thanks to Phil Salt’s 30 from 14, but after that they never really looked likely to threaten the target. Curran made 43 not out from 30 balls, but England were all out for 166 from 19 overs and had no answer to the West Indian spin on a slow pitch.
Might England Really Be Eliminated?
Ahead of their clash against Scotland on Saturday, England sit fourth in Group C, behind both Italy and Scotland. They are level on points with the two sides above them and in theory have played their two toughest games. We say “in theory” because while England limped past Nepal, Italy annihilated them, winning by 10 wickets with over seven overs to spare. Given Scotland beat Italy, England’s final two games might well not be as easy as everyone thinks.
Two wins will send England through to the Super 8 and we would expect them to get the job done. But T20 is more unpredictable than other formats and one brilliant innings can be enough to swing a game. Will Brook and co be sent home or can they grow into the tournament and start posting more positive results?
