T20I Cricket has been played for 20 years and in these 20 years this format has become the reason that cricket has become a multi billion dollar industry. There have been many great players to have played this format and some great leaders have led their respective countries over the years. The 2024 T20I World Cup was the first ICC tournament with 20 teams.
Let’s look at the Top 10 Greatest T20I Captains of all time
1) Daren Sammy – West Indies
The number 1 captain in the history of T20I format has to be Daren Sammy. There are captains with a better win % but there is only one captain in the history of this format to have won 2 ICC T20I World Cups as the captain. He led the West Indies to victory at the 2012 and 2016 editions of the tournament. Daren Sammy has captained West Indies in 47 Matches. He has won 27 of these Matches and has lost 17 Matches. His win % is 57.44. He was captain of the West Indies from 2011-2016. He lost 36.17% of Matches as West Indies captain.
2) Rohit Sharma – India
Rohit Sharma is the captain of the victorious Indian team that won the 2024 World Cup. He has retired from the format. He was the captain of India for 62 T20I Matches. India won a remarkable 49 of those matches. His win % was a very good 79.03% as captain. This is the highest win % out of anyone who has captained 60 or more Matches for their country in T20I Cricket. He only lost 19.25% of all his 62 Matches as the captain of India. He lost 12 Matches out of the 62 Matches.
3) Eoin Morgan – England
Eoin Morgan is the captain that changed the way England white ball cricket was played. He was the captain under whom England won the 2019 ODI World Cup. He brought fearlessness to the England team. Eoin Morgan captained 72 Matches for England in T20I Cricket. He won 42 Matches as captain which gives him a win % of 58.33. He lost 27 Matches and has a loss % of 37.50. Eoin Morgan set the template which Jos Buttler carried forward which allowed England to win the 2022 World Cup.
4) MS Dhoni – India
The first winning captain of the T20I World Cup in 2007 MS Dhoni is easily one of the greatest captains in this format. He led India to victory in 2007 and T20I Cricket was never the same again. He was captain of India for 72 Matches. He won 41 of these Matches and he had a win % of 56.94. MS Dhoni lost 28 Matches as captain. His loss % was 38.88%. He made the team which was led by Virat Kohli for a number of years. He was the captain of India in the 2009,2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 editions as well. His calmness in the difficult match situations earned him the title of captain cool of cricket.
5) Aaron Finch – Australia
The 2021 World Cup winning captain for Australia Aaron Finch is in this list. He is the best T20I captain for Australia. He was the captain in 76 Matches for Australia in this format. He is also the captain who has led his country for the second most number of times in international cricket. He has won 40 Matches as captain and he has a win % of 52.63. He has lost 32 Matches as captain and he has a loss % of 42.10. Aaron Finch ended the 14 year wait for Australia to win the T20I World Cup.
6) Jos Buttler – England
The 2022 T20I World Cup winning captain for England. Jos Buttler took forward the legacy of Eoin Morgan and he won the 2nd T20I Cricket World Cup for England. Jos Buttler has captained England in 41 Matches and he has won 22 of those Matches. He has a win % of 53.65. Jos Buttler has also lost 17 Matches. He has a loss % of 41.46 as captain of England. Jos Buttler is also one of the best batters in the world.
7) Babar Azam – Pakistan
The captain who has been the leader in the 2021 World Cup semi final and the 2022 World Cup Final. He was also the first Pakistani captain to have beaten India in an ICC tournament in 2021. Babar Azam has captained Pakistan for 85 T20Is. This is the highest number of matches for a captain in T20I Cricket. Babar Azam has won 48 Matches as captain. He has a win % of 56.47. He has lost 29 T20Is as captain of Pakistan. He has a loss % of 34.11. Babar Azam was unable to win an ICC tournament for Pakistan.
8) Kane Williamson – New Zealand
The best New Zealand captain in T20I Cricket. He has also been a World Cup finalist in 2021 when New Zealand lost to Australia. He has been the captain of New Zealand for 75 T20Is. He has won 39 Matches as captain. He has a win % of 52. He has lost 34 Matches and his loss % is 45.33. Kane Williamson is also the captain who won the 2021 World Test Championship with New Zealand.
9) Asghar Afghan – Afghanistan
The rise of Afghanistan cricket is there for everyone to see. They have been the second best team in Asia and one of the best teams in the world. All of this rise started under one man and that is Asghar Afghan. He was the captain of Afghanistan for 52 Matches. He won 42 of those Matches which means he had a great winning % of 80.76. He only lost 9 Matches as captain of Afghanistan. His loss % was 17.30. Players such as Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and others got their opportunity to shine under Asghar Afghan.
10) Sarfaraz Ahmad – Pakistan
The last captain of Pakistan who has won an ICC tournament. He won the 2017 Champions Trophy. He was also the captain under whom the likes of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and others got their opportunity. Sarfaraz Ahmad captained Pakistan for 37 Matches. He won a whopping 29 of these Matches. His win % was 78.37. He lost 8 Matches and his loss % was 21.62. He could have been the captain for a few more years but he was dropped from the squad.
Best T20I Captains of all time - Stats
Position | Captain | Matches as Captain | Matches Won | Win % | Matches Lost | Loss % |
1. | Darren Sammy | 47 | 27 | 57.44 | 17 | 36.17 |
2. | Rohit Sharma | 62 | 49 | 79.03 | 12 | 19.25 |
3. | Eoin Morgan | 72 | 42 | 58.33 | 27 | 37.50 |
4. | MS Dhoni | 72 | 41 | 56.94 | 28 | 38.88 |
5. | Aaron Finch | 76 | 40 | 52.63 | 32 | 42.10 |
6. | Jos Buttler | 41 | 22 | 53.65 | 17 | 41.46 |
7. | Babar Azam | 85 | 48 | 56.47 | 29 | 34.11 |
8. | Kane Williamson | 75 | 39 | 52.00 | 34 | 45.33 |
9. | Asghar Afghan | 52 | 42 | 80.76 | 9 | 17.30 |
10. | Sarfaraz Ahmad | 37 | 29 | 78.37 | 8 | 21.62 |
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