Former England captain Michael Atherton has described India as the “pre-eminent” white-ball team in world cricket, praising their consistency and dominance across ICC limited-overs events. Atherton believes the Men in Blue now have a realistic chance of holding all three ICC white-ball trophies simultaneously.
India lived up to their overwhelming favourites tag by defeating the New Zealand cricket team by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 final on Sunday. With this victory, India became the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup and the first to lift the trophy on home soil, marking their third overall title in the competition.
“India are more than a pre-eminent T20 side. They are the pre-eminent white-ball side at the moment,” Michael Atherton said on Sky Sports Cricket. “In the last few ICC global events, before today, they have won 30 out of 32 games. They have only been beaten in the final of the 50-over World Cup by Australia and in this tournament by South Africa.”
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India’s dominance in ICC limited-overs cricket began with the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they went unbeaten until the final. The Men in Blue followed it up with an undefeated campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup and a flawless run in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Their only loss in the 2026 T20 World Cup came against South Africa in the Super Eight stage.
Atherton highlighted the team’s opportunity to hold all three ICC limited-overs trophies, with the next 50-over World Cup scheduled for 2027. “They may well mop it all up. There is a 50-over World Cup next year, and they have the chance now to hold the Champions Trophy, T20 World Cup, and the 50-over World Cup all in one go. That will surely be their aim,” he said.
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Meanwhile, former England captain Nasser Hussain pointed to India’s formula for success, crediting pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and the depth of power-hitters in the squad. According to Hussain, it is this perfect combination of lethal bowling and explosive batting that makes India the benchmark in white-ball cricket today.
