In one corner, a team is a two-time T20 World Champion. In the other, a team has never even made it to the semifinals of a T20 World Cup. These two teams, positioned at opposite ends of the T20 World stage, are now battling fiercely over an unwanted record. The teams are Bangladesh and the West Indies, and the record is for the most losses in international T20 matches.
Bangladesh entered their first T20 match against the West Indies carrying the record for the most losses in international T20s. In that match, held in St. Vincent, Bangladesh won by 7 runs, taking a lead in the series. But there was another piece of good news for Bangladesh: they were no longer alone at the bottom of the T20 loss chart. After losing the match, the West Indies joined them with the same number of losses.
Both teams now have 107 losses in international T20s. This means that the second T20 of the series, scheduled for Wednesday morning, is a chance for either team to give the other the ‘record’ they’re both striving to avoid. The team that loses the three-match series will end the year holding this record.
At the start of the year, the record belonged to the West Indies. They began 2024 with 97 losses in T20s. At that time, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were second, with 95 losses. The West Indies quickly pushed their tally to 99 with a loss to Australia on February 11. Bangladesh’s losses remained at 95 as they hadn’t played any matches yet. By the time Sri Lanka recorded their 96th loss, the West Indies moved into the lead.
Most Losses in International T20s:
- Bangladesh: 180 matches, 69 wins, 107 losses, 0/4 ties/no result
- West Indies: 214 matches, 93 wins, 107 losses, 3/11 ties/no result
- Sri Lanka: 200 matches, 89 wins, 104 losses, 5/2 ties/no result
- Zimbabwe: 161 matches, 55 wins, 103 losses, 2/1 ties/no result
- Pakistan: 253 matches, 144 wins, 98 losses, 4/7 ties/no result
However, after February, Bangladesh rapidly added to their tally of losses, while the West Indies seemed to forget how to lose. From February to June, the West Indies won 8 consecutive matches. Meanwhile, Bangladesh became the first team in history to reach 100 T20 losses on May 23, after two straight defeats to the United States in Texas.
On June 7, Bangladesh was joined by Sri Lanka in the 100-loss club, after Sri Lanka lost to Bangladesh in Dallas. Just three days later, Bangladesh reclaimed sole ownership of the record with another loss. After their victory over the West Indies yesterday, Bangladesh is no longer the sole holder of this unwanted record.
