Has hosting T20 World Cup become a curse? In the shadow of history, clouds of crisis hang over India too.

New Delhi .Playing at home in the T20 World Cup is a matter of pride for any team. The support of the home crowd, familiar pitches, understanding of the weather and command of the conditions usually gives the host team the edge. But when it comes to the T20 World Cup, the picture appears completely opposite. If we look at the history of this tournament, which started in 2007, a shocking fact emerges that till date no host country has been able to win the trophy. Playing at home is considered a big advantage for any team, but sometimes this situation also creates additional pressure on the players. This is the reason why despite all efforts the host team has not been successful in winning the title.

The first T20 World Cup was played in South Africa in 2007. It was expected that the African team would take advantage of home conditions but it was eliminated from the Super 8 itself. After this, England hosted in 2009 and West Indies in 2010. Both the teams could not reach the semi-finals.

Sri Lanka hosted the tournament in 2012 and this was the only time that a host team reached the final. Sri Lanka performed brilliantly but lost to West Indies in the title match and lost the trophy. After this, Bangladesh became the host in 2014 but its team could not progress beyond Super 10.

India hosted the T20 World Cup in 2016. Despite the home ground and tremendous support, Team India was eliminated after losing in the semi-finals. Once again it was proved that hosting is not a guarantee of victory.

The 2021 tournament was held in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Both the teams could not progress beyond the group stage. Australia was the host in 2022 but it too could not go beyond the Super 12 stage.

Jointly hosted by the United States and West Indies in 2024. Interestingly, India won the trophy but both the host teams were eliminated from the Super 8.

Now in 2026, history seems to be repeating itself. This time India and Sri Lanka are joint hosts. Sri Lanka is already out of the tournament. India is not completely out yet but clouds of crisis are looming over it too. If India also fails to win the title, then the trend will become stronger that hosting the T20 World Cup proves to be more of a curse than a blessing.

The question arises why this happens. Does domestic pressure take a toll on players? Does the burden of expectations affect performance? Or in a shorter format like T20, the role of luck and chance is so big that even home advantage fades away.

At present the eyes are fixed on 2026. Will India be able to break this myth or will the trophy remain a distant dream for the host team? History is testifying but cricket is a game of uncertainties and this is its biggest beauty.