The 2021 Men’s ICC T20 world cup just came to a conclusion after a spectacular month of cricket. All teams were competing at their best and the gulf between the teams was reduced significantly. The Super 12 format has generated enormous excitement in recent years since it allows more teams to participate and compete.
The knockout matches were all full of adrenaline and worthy to be billed as an ICC trophy knockout. Australia held on to their nerves till the end to clinch their first ICC T20 world cup title. The team put up some exceptional cricketing performances in the last few weeks and deserved this win for their overall prowess.
In a recent article, we spoke of teams that had the most ICC trophies to their name. One of the top rankers on that list was Australia for its ability to go into beast mode in an ICC tournament and close the job. They showed that in the T20 world cup finals as well. On the other hand, there are teams like New Zealand and South Africa who in recent years have failed to win any ICC trophies.
They have made it to the semi-finals and finals but are unable to finish the job. They have rightfully been given the moniker of “chokers”. Even after having one of the best teams on papers, there are teams who have gone on to lost quintessential finals. We look at 5 such teams who have lost the most number of finals in ICC tournaments.
1. England
They were the original chokers before South Africa decided to take away the title from them. They made it to the finals 8 times up until now with only 2 translating to ICC trophies. Their first ICC trophy came only in 2010 with the ICC T20 world cup win. For a country that invented the game, it had to wait too long to get its hands on an ICC trophy. Prior to 2009, they lost the 1979 ODI finals to the Windies, lost the 1987 and 1992 ODI finals. It lost the 2013 and 2004 Champions Trophy final as well. Recently, it had an agonizing loss in the 2016 ICC T20 finals against the Windies with Stokes being clobbered for 4 sixes in the final over by Carlos Brathwaite.
2. India
India comes next on the list. Post-2013, it has had a horror run in the ICC tournaments. The dry run continues. It made it to the 2003 ODI world cup final against Australia but was brutally thrashed. It faced a similar humiliation in the hands of Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy final and New Zealand in the 2021 ICC World Test Championship final. It has made it to the finals a total of 5 times which has resulted in losses.
3. Sri Lanka
A team that has seen many finals in close succession but is unable to convert them to wins. From 2006 to 2014 when Sri Lanka saw their golden age in cricket with the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Lasith Malinga and Tillakaratne Dilshan, the team reached innumerable finals. They met Australia in the 2007 ODI world finals, India in the 2011 ODI world cup finals, Pakistan in the 2009 T20 world cup finals and West Indies in the 2012 T20 world cup finals. All resulted in losses. Finally, the dream team could bid the game goodbye with a win the 2014 T20 world cup.
4. New Zealand
What Sri Lanka was between 2006 and 2014, New Zealand has emulated between 2014 and 2021. They have made it to the ODI world cup finals on two successive occasions. In 2015 they were beaten by Australia and in 2019 they were beaten by England by the barest of margins. They suffered a humiliating loss against Australia in the just concluded 2021 ICC T20 world cup too. However, they tasted success in 2021 by beating India in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship. New Zealand have made it to the finals 4 times resulting in losses.
5. Australia
Australia have made it to the finals a total of 3 times where they have ended up on the losing side. On the contrary, they have been victorious a total of 8 times which proves their domination in ICC events. They were in the finals of the 1975 and 1996 ODI world cups and faced defeats in the hands of the Windies and Sri Lanka respectively. They were also beaten by England in 2010 T20 world cup finals.
