However, once crowned champions, only a few teams have been able to replicate the same success to a large extent in successive editions. The testimony to this is the fact that in the 9-year history of the World T20s, no team has won the title back-to-back.
While the home side has never won any of the World T20s– and it did not happen this year either, as India crashed out in the semi-final at the hands of the West Indies– there have been many occasions when the defending champions have underperformed in their title defence.
The same has been the case sometimes in the 50-over World Cups as well. Here, we take a look at 5 defending World Champions who underperformed in their title defence.
1. Sri Lanka (2014 World T20 champions) in WT20 2016
The 2014 World T20 champions could not repeat their success in the 2016 edition, as their campaign contained just one victory- against Afghanistan- out of 4 games.
Hampered by the absence of their regular captain and strike bowler Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan side, that at the moment is a mixture of youngsters and experienced campaigners, couldn’t put up a decent show in their title defence.
They won their opening game against Afghanistan, but that was pretty much it as far as defending their title was concerned as they lost against West Indies, England and South Africa thereby finishing at the 4th spot in the pool of 5 teams.
2. India (2007 World T20 champions) in WT20 2009
The inaugural World T20 champions India, who lifted the trophy in 2007, couldn’t quite replicate the same success in the next edition.
Although the defending champions began their campaign on a high, beating Bangladesh and Ireland in their first two games, they faltered in their next three losing to England, South Africa and West Indies.
While India couldn’t defend 153 in the game against West Indies, they couldn’t chase the same total against England. The Proteas defended an even lower total of 130 against India, as the Indians couldn’t get anything right past the group stages in the tournament.
3. Australia (1987 World Cup champions) in 1992 World Cup
Australia won their first ever Cricket World Cup 1987 when they defeated England in the final at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, but couldn’t replicate their success at home in the following edition in 1992.
It was a topsy-turvy run for the co-hosts in the tournament, that begun with a loss against the Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand and was worsened after South Africa– who were playing their first ever World Cup, humbled them by 8 wickets in the next game.
The Aussies managed to salvage some pride thereafter by beating India by 1 run in a last-ball thriller, but further defeats at the hands of Pakistan and England accentuated the fact that the home-run was going to be a dismal one for the defending champions.
4. England (2010 World T20 champions) in WT20 2012
England, under Paul Collingwood, had defeated arch-rivals Australia in the 2010 World T20 final to win their first ever World Cup across formats.
But in 2012, their title defence did not go as planned either, as they could muster just 2 wins out their 5 games in the tournament and hence, couldn’t make the final four.
They had begun their campaign by beating Afghanistan comprehensively but succumbed to a heavy 90-run defeat against India in the following game.
Thereafter, they lost to West Indies and the eventual finalists Sri Lanka as well in the Super 8s to crash out from the tournament.
5. Sri Lanka (1996 World Cup champions) in 1999 World Cup
Defying all odds and exceeding all expectations, Sri Lanka stunned Australia in the final of 1996 World Cup win their maiden major trophy.
Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga were the heroes of the final while Sanath Jayasuriya re-defined the style of opening batsmanship through that World tournament.
However, the Lankan lions could not do the same four years hence in England, where in the 1999 World Cup, they couldn’t get past the first round, winning just 2 of their 5 league games.
Losses to England, India and South Africa meant that the 1996 champions had no chance of making it to the final four and laying a claim to the coveted trophy.
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