Ever since the T20I format came into the picture, it has captivated fans across the globe. Moreover, it has been acting as a growth engine in non-Test-playing nations to promote cricket.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) also jumped on the bandwagon and granted all of its associate members T20I status in 2018. Before that, only the full members and a few associate teams had T20I status.
But have you ever wondered how many teams have T20I status?
Well, now over 104 ICC members have the status to play T20I matches.
Here are all the teams that have been granted T20I status.
Full Members with T20I Status
| S. No. | Team | T20I Status Granted |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Australia | 17 Feb 2005 |
| 2. | New Zealand | 17 Feb 2005 |
| 3. | England | 13 Jun 2005 |
| 4. | South Africa | 21 Oct 2005 |
| 5. | West Indies | 16 Feb 2006 |
| 6. | Sri Lanka | 15 Jun 2006 |
| 7. | Pakistan | 28 Aug 2006 |
| 8. | Bangladesh | 28 Nov 2006 |
| 9. | Zimbabwe | 28 Nov 2006 |
| 10. | India | 1 Dec 2006 |
| 11. | Afghanistan | Temporary Status: Feb 2010 to Jun 2017 Permanent Status: 5 Feb 2018 |
| 12. | Ireland | Temporary Status: Aug 2008 to Mar 2017 Permanent Status: 12 Jun 2018 |
Key Points
17 February 2005 went down in history books as it witnessed the first-ever T20 International match. Australia and New Zealand faced off in a historic one-off T20I game in Auckland, where the Aussies thumped the hosts by 44 runs.
The match displayed what’s in store for the T20I format as Australia hammered their way to post 214 runs on the board. Australia’s former captain Ricky Ponting came close to smashing the first-ever hundred in the first game itself but fell short by 2 runs (98* off 55).
A couple of years after the format’s exception, the ICC organised the first T20 World Cup in 2007. The World Cup further fuelled the format’s popularity among the masses, especially in India, which won the inaugural trophy.
Before being admitted as full ICC members, Ireland and Afghanistan played T20I matches under temporary status.
Associate Members with T20I Status
Apart from the full members, over 92 associate members have been granted status to play international T20s in bilateral or multination tournaments.
Now, let’s look at the associate members with T20I status by region. (Please note that a few members have yet to play a T20I match.)
Africa Region
Apart from the 2 full members — South Africa and Zimbabwe — from this region, teams like Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda are making quick strides into the game. Kenya, which once competed with ODI status, is trying to regain its lost cricketing glory.
Associate Members from the Africa Region:
Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda
Americas Region
The T20I heavyweights and T20 World Champions, the West Indies, come from this part of the world. The Americas region is catching up with the other regions regarding cricketing development. However, teams like the USA and Canada have been making the rounds in international cricket for quite some time now.
Associate Members from the Americas Region:
Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Falkland Islands, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States
Asia Region
The Asian continent is a buzzing place for cricket, with T20I powerhouses like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh coming from the region. Apart from the Big Boys, Nepal, Oman, and the UAE are emerging as the new frontiers in the region.
Associate Members from the Asia Region:
Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan
East Asia-Pacific Region
The East Asia-Pacific region is home to World Cup champions Australia and New Zealand. The region is witnessing a surge following some incredible performances from Papua New Guinea and Japan.
Associate Members from the East Asia-Pacific Region:
Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, South Korea, Vanuatu
Europe Region
The European region is headlined by the inventors of cricket, England. This region has the most teams, with over 30 members. Apart from England, Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands have made significant improvements in the shorter format.
Associate Members from the Europe Region:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jersey, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey
Key Points
Before T20I status was given to all associate members in 2018, the following teams had temporary T20I status:
Kenya | Sep 2007 to Jan 2014
Scotland | Sep 2007 to Jun 2018
Netherlands | Aug 2008 to Jul 2018
Canada | Aug 2008 to Jan 2014
Bermuda | Aug 2008 to Apr 2009
Nepal | Mar 2014 to Jul 2018
Hong Kong | Mar 2014 to 18 Jan 2017
United Arab Emirates | Mar 2014 to Oct 2018
Papua New Guinea | Jul 2015 to Mar 2018
Oman | Jul 2015 to Jan 2017
Final Words
As the T20I format expands its footprint into new territories, you can expect to see some new teams making headlines in the future. With time, teams will develop their T20 gameplay to compete against the big teams in multi-nation tournaments.
