In just over five decades of global white-ball championship history, cricket has witnessed 23 men’s World Cup tournaments across the ODI and T20I formats. From Asia, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have most consistently reached the business end of these competitions, accounting for eight world titles between them.
India remain the most successful among the three, with four world crowns, two in the ODI World Cup and two in the T20 World Cup. Across formats, the Men in Blue have reached the semifinals 13 times, eight in ODIs and five in T20Is. Pakistan have also made 13 semifinal appearances, split across six in ODIs and seven in T20Is, while Sri Lanka have reached the last four 13 times as well, seven in ODIs and six in T20Is.
That collective consistency has made Asian presence in the knockout stages almost routine in World Cups. In fact, in the inaugural 1975 Prudential Cup, the first major men’s global tournament, none of the three Asian sides made the semifinals. Since then, at least one of India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka has featured in the last four in nearly every edition across formats.
Now, however, the 2026 T20 World Cup is threatening to script a rare historical anomaly.
With the Super 8 stage entering its decisive stretch, all three Asian heavyweights find themselves on the brink. India are placed third in Group 1 after suffering their heaviest defeat in T20 World Cup history against South Africa. West Indies’ emphatic 107-run win over Zimbabwe has further complicated the qualification scenario.
As it stands, India must register commanding victories in their remaining matches, against Zimbabwe in Chennai on February 26 and West Indies in Kolkata on March 1, and hope South Africa defeat West Indies in Ahmedabad to keep semifinal hopes alive.
In Group 2, England have already sealed qualification after back-to-back wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan. New Zealand, buoyed by an impressive group-stage campaign and a shared point from their rain-affected game against Pakistan in Colombo, are well placed to join them.
If the Black Caps defeat Sri Lanka on Wednesday, both Sri Lanka and Pakistan will be eliminated before the final Super 8 fixture. That would confirm a 51-year first in men’s World Cup history, a semifinal line-up without India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.
The only comparable instance in ICC white-ball tournaments came in the 2006 Champions Trophy, when none of the three progressed beyond the group stage.
Group 1’s fate could become clearer on Thursday’s Super 8 double-header, while Group 2 may effectively seal its semifinalists as early as Wednesday in Colombo.
