England secure top T20I ranking after series win against India

By Arjun Nair / 12.07.2026

By Arjun Nair — 11 July 2026 — 3 min read

England has ascended to the top spot in the latest ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings following a series of victories at home against the current T20 World Champions. This achievement brings an end to India’s more than 1,600-day reign at the No. 1 position, which began in February 2022.

The series saw England dominate, securing a 4-0 whitewash against India. The final match in Southampton was particularly decisive, with Jos Buttler and Harry Brook delivering significant performances.

Buttler and Brook’s Record Partnership

In the fifth T20I in Southampton, Jos Buttler and Harry Brook formed a 233-run partnership for the second wicket. This stand is a new record for any wicket in the history of T20 Internationals. Buttler scored 131 runs off 64 balls, while Brook remained unbeaten with 95 runs off 45 deliveries.

Buttler’s century was a quickfire effort, and he also achieved his quickest half-century in T20Is during this match. Brook also contributed significantly with his explosive batting, completing his half-century off just 19 balls. The duo’s combined effort led England to a total of 257/3 in their 20 overs.

The England skipper had previously stated that the No. 1 ranking was the team’s objective, a goal they successfully achieved. The series commenced with the opening match in Chester-le-Street being affected by rain. Subsequently, England won the next four games, including delivering India’s largest defeat in T20Is in Nottingham and chasing down 159 runs in just 13.4 overs in Bristol.

India’s Series Performance and Ranking Drop

India, under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, has not secured a victory since their World Cup win in Ahmedabad earlier this year. The team’s performance in the series against England resulted in them slipping to the second position in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings.

In the final match, India managed to score 201/8 in their 20 overs while chasing England’s target. Ishan Kishan scored 56 runs off 35 balls, and Tilak Varma contributed 53 runs off 25 balls for India. Despite these individual performances, India was defeated by 56 runs in Southampton.

The Indian bowling attack faced significant pressure from England’s batsmen. Buttler and Brook collectively hit 16 sixes, with eight from each player. Axar Patel conceded 63 runs in his four overs, and Prince Yadav gave away 60 runs in his four overs. Suryansh Shedge, who was brought into the team due to Harshit Rana’s absence with a hamstring injury, also struggled, conceding 39 runs in three overs.

This series marks the sixth loss in seven matches for India under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy. The team’s recent form has led to calls for a review by the BCCI.

The change in coaching staff, with Gautam Gambhir taking over from Rahul Dravid, has reportedly led to a divided dressing room and a lack of trust among players due to frequent changes in the squad. The aggressive batting philosophy, which proved successful on Indian pitches, did not yield similar results for India’s IPL stars in the UK tour.

Source: icc-cricket.com