“Win the toss and choose to bowl” has become the norm in T20 cricket in recent years.
With the format turning out to be a batsman’s game with every series, teams batting second have been enjoying the privilege of knowing the target and planning their chase much more efficiently. The influence of the dew effect on the night matches and the batter-friendly pitches makes it more challenging for the bowlers to defend totals.
This article will list the top ten teams with the most wins while batting first in T20Is and their win percentage in successfully defending the targets.
Most T20I Wins by Teams While Batting First
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied/No Result | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 154 | 98 | 46 | 10 | 63.64 |
| Pakistan | 157 | 93 | 61 | 3 | 59.23 |
| New Zealand | 137 | 76 | 50 | 11 | 55.47 |
| South Africa | 117 | 66 | 49 | 2 | 56.41 |
| Afghanistan | 97 | 61 | 35 | 1 | 62.88 |
| West Indies | 120 | 54 | 57 | 9 | 45.00 |
| England | 95 | 53 | 36 | 6 | 55.78 |
| Sri Lanka | 120 | 51 | 67 | 2 | 42.50 |
| Uganda | 58 | 50 | 8 | 0 | 86.20 |
| Australia | 90 | 47 | 39 | 4 | 52.22 |
Key Insights on Defending Totals in T20I Cricket
Leading Nations in T20I Wins While Batting First
India have won the most matches while batting first in T20Is. In fact, India became the first team to win 90 matches while batting first.
India and New Zealand are the two teams to win 30 or more matches after batting first in their respective home countries in T20Is.
India have won 10 or more matches against five teams while batting first in T20Is, the most by a team.
India played 27 matches in 2022, of which they won 18 after batting first, the most by a team in a calendar year in T20Is.
Efficiency and Win Percentages in Target Defense
Afghanistan and India are the two full-member teams to have a win percentage above 60 while successfully defending their totals in T20Is.
Overall, Uganda have the highest win percentage while batting first in T20Is, with their win percentage hovering around 86.
Nigeria and Finland have successfully defended the lowest total in T20Is. Both teams pulled off wins despite getting all out for 90 runs in their first innings against Sierra Leone and Guernsey in 2021 and 2024, respectively.
Captains with Most Wins while Batting First in T20Is
| Captain | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied/No Result | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kane Williamson | New Zealand | 45 | 27 | 17 | 1 | 60.00 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 35 | 26 | 8 | 1 | 74.28 |
| Asghar Afghan | Afghanistan | 30 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Gerhard Erasmus | Namibia | 38 | 24 | 14 | 0 | 63.15 |
| Ahmed Faiz | Malaysia | 41 | 23 | 16 | 2 | 56.09 |
| Brian Masaba | Uganda | 28 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 82.14 |
| Charles Perchard | Jersey | 33 | 23 | 9 | 1 | 69.67 |
| Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming | Japan | 36 | 21 | 14 | 1 | 58.33 |
| MS Dhoni | India | 36 | 19 | 15 | 2 | 52.78 |
| Muhammad Waseem | UAE | 27 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 70.37 |
Most Successful Captains for Teams Batting First
Kane Williamson has won the most matches while batting first as a captain in T20Is, leading New Zealand to 27 victories.
Afghanistan’s Asghar Afghan has the highest win percentage among captains at83.33.
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