The ICC Men's T20 Team Rankings is an international Twenty20cricket rankings system of the International Cricket Council.[1] After every Twenty20 International (T20I) match, the two teams involved receive points based on a mathematical formula. The total of each team's points total is divided by the total number of matches to give a rating, and all teams are ranked on a table in order of rating.[2] Teams need to have played at least eight T20I matches in the previous three to four years to remain in the rankings table.
World Champions India currently lead the ICC men's T20I team rankings, a position they have held since 21 February 2022.[3]
"Matches" is the number of matches played in the 12–24 months since the May before last, plus half the number in the 24 months before that.
Points calculations
Time period
Each team scores points based on the results of their matches over the last 3−4 years − the matches played in the 12–24 months since the May before last, plus the matches played in the 24 months before that, for which the matches played and points earned both count half. For example:
May 2010
May 2011
May 2012
May 2013
May 2014
May 2015
Between May 2013 and April 2014:
Results that were achieved during this period have 50% weighting
Results that were achieved during this period have 100% weighting
Between May 2014 and April 2015:
Results that were achieved during this period have 50% weighting
Results that were achieved during this period have 100% weighting
Each May, the matches and points earned between 3 and 4 years ago are removed, and the matches and points earned between 1 and 2 years ago switch from 100% weighting to 50% weighting. For example, on 1 May 2014, the matches played between May 2010 and April 2011 were removed, and the matches played between May 2012 and April 2013 switched to 50% weighting (the matches from May 2011 to April 2012 would have already been at 50% following the previous rerating). This happens overnight, so can result in teams changing positions in the ranking table despite no one playing.
Find the points earned from a match
Each time two teams play another match, the rankings table is updated as follows, based on the ratings of the teams immediately before they played. To determine the teams' new ratings after a particular match, first calculate the points earned from the match:
If the gap between the ratings of the two teams before the match was less than 40 points, then points will be as follows:
Match result
Points earned
Win
Opponent's rating + 50
Tie
Opponent's rating
Lose
Opponent's rating − 50
If the gap between the ratings of the two teams before the match was at least 40 points, then points will be as follows:
Match result
Points earned
Stronger team wins
Own rating + 10
Weaker team loses
Own rating − 10
Stronger team ties
Own rating − 40
Weaker team ties
Own rating + 40
Stronger team loses
Own rating − 90
Weaker team wins
Own rating + 90
Example
Suppose Team A, with an initial rating of 100, plays Team B. The table shows the points awarded to the two teams for 9 different initial ratings for B (ranging from 20 to 160), and the three possible match results.
Initial ratings
Scenario
Team A wins & Team B loses. Points earned:
Match tied. Points earned:
Team A loses & Team B wins. Points earned:
Total initial ratings
Total points earned (All 3 results)
Team A
Team B
Team A
Team B
Team A
Team B
Team A
Team B
100
20
Initial ratings at least 40 points apart
Stronger team wins: Own rating + 10
110
Weaker team loses: Own rating − 10
10
Stronger team ties: Own rating − 40
60
Weaker team ties: Own rating + 40
60
Stronger team loses: Own rating − 90
10
Weaker team wins: Own rating + 90
110
120
120
100
40
110
30
60
80
10
130
140
140
100
60
110
50
60
100
10
150
160
160
100
70
Initial ratings less than 40 points apart
Win: Opponent's rating + 50
120
Lose: Opponent's rating − 50
50
Tie: Opponent's rating
70
Tie: Opponent's rating
100
Lose: Opponent's rating − 50
20
Win: Opponent's rating + 50
150
170
170
100
90
140
50
90
100
40
150
190
190
100
110
160
50
110
100
60
150
210
210
100
130
180
50
130
100
80
150
230
230
100
140
Initial ratings at least 40 points apart
Weaker team wins: Own rating + 90
190
Stronger team loses: Own rating − 90
50
Weaker team ties: Own rating + 40
140
Stronger team ties: Own rating − 40
100
Weaker team loses: Own rating − 10
90
Stronger team wins: Own rating + 10
150
240
240
100
160
190
70
140
120
90
170
260
260
This illustrates that:
The winning team earns more points than the losing team. (Unless the ratings are more than 180 apart and the weaker team wins − highly unlikely.)
Winning always earns a team 100 points more than losing, and 50 more than tying.
The total points earned by the two teams is always the same as the total initial ratings of the two teams.
The points earned by a winning team increases as the initial rating (quality) of the opposition increases, within the constraints of earning at least its own initial rating + 10, and no more than its own initial rating + 90. A winning team therefore always earns more points than its initial rating, increasing its overall average rating.
The points earned by a losing team increases as the initial rating (quality) of the opposition increases, within the constraints of earning at least its own initial rating − 90, and no more than its own initial rating − 10. A losing team therefore always earns fewer points than its initial rating, decreasing its overall average rating.
In a tie, the weaker team usually earns more points than the stronger team (unless the initial ratings are at least 80 apart), reflecting the fact that a tie is a better result for the weaker team than the stronger team. Also, the stronger team will earn fewer points than its initial rating, decreasing its average, and the weaker team more points that its initial rating, increasing its average.
For a given result, the rule of how the two teams' points are calculated changes as the initial ratings change, from being based on teams' own ratings when one team is far stronger, to being based on the opponent's ratings when the teams are closely matched, back to being based on own ratings when the other team is far stronger. However, despite these sudden changes in the rule, the number of points awarded for each result changes smoothly as the initial ratings change.
Find the new ratings
Each team's rating is equal to its total points scored divided by the total matches played. (Series are not significant in these calculations).
Add the match points scored to the points already scored (in previous matches as reflected by the table), add one to the number of matches played, and determine the new rating.
Points earned by teams depend on the opponent's ratings, therefore this system needed to assign base ratings to teams when it started.
Historical rankings
This table lists the teams that have historically held the highest rating since the T20I rankings was introduced.[citation needed] In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full T20I status to all its members. As a result, ratings of leading teams since 2018 have been considerably higher, and cannot be directly compared to those before that date.
